Surveys of corporate risk management document that selective hedging, where managers incorporate their market views into firms’ hedging programs, is widespread in the U.S. and other countries. Stulz (1996) argues that selective hedging could enhance the value of firms that possess an...

Using proprietary energy futures position data, we provide evidence that mean hedger profits are negative while speculator (especially hedge fund) profits are positive; that speculators and hedgers who hold long (short) positions when likely hedgers in aggregate are net short (long) have higher...

Using a unique proprietary data set of trades by all large traders in the crude oil, gasoline, and heating oil futures markets, we explore determinants of their individual trading profits/losses. Consistent with the risk premium hypothesis, hedgers' mean trading profits are significantly...

Using a unique proprietary data set of positions held by all large traders in the crude oil, gasoline, and heating oil futures markets, we use actual trader profits to test the predictions of various commodity futures pricing models. We find statistically and economically significant evidence...

The widespread practice of managers speculating by incorporating their market views into firms' hedging programs (“selective hedging”) remains a puzzle. Using a 10-year sample of North American gold mining firms, we find no evidence that selective hedging is more prevalent among firms that...