Even though there were numerous plausible explanations for the oil-price rally that culminated in July of 2008, there remains much uncertainty on how much to ascribe this rally to speculation, given the lack of transparency in the global oil markets. Was there excessive speculation in the oil...

This paper provides an introduction to U.S. commodity futures markets, which is especially relevant for individuals in developing markets who are newly embracing market solutions to financial uncertainty. The paper specifically covers the following topics: (1) the beginning, transformation, and...