Ron Alquist

Author

Staff discussion papers

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Staff working papers

What Does the Convenience Yield Curve Tell Us about the Crude Oil Market?

Staff Working Paper 2014-42 Ron Alquist, Gregory Bauer, Antonio Diez de los Rios
Using the prices of crude oil futures contracts, we construct the term structure of crude oil convenience yields out to one-year maturity. The crude oil convenience yield can be interpreted as the interest rate, denominated in barrels of oil, for borrowing a single barrel of oil, and it measures the value of storing crude oil over the borrowing period.
Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Topic(s): Asset pricing, International topics JEL Code(s): C, C5, C53, G, G1, G12, G13, Q, Q4, Q43

A Blessing in Disguise: The Implications of High Global Oil Prices for the North American Market

Staff Working Paper 2013-23 Ron Alquist, Justin-Damien Guénette
We examine the implications of increased unconventional crude oil production in North America. This production increase has been made possible by the existence of alternative oil-recovery technologies and persistently elevated oil prices that make these technologies commercially viable.

Fire-Sale FDI or Business as Usual?

Staff Working Paper 2013-17 Ron Alquist, Rahul Mukherjee, Linda Tesar
Using a new data set, we examine the characteristics and dynamics of cross-border mergers and acquisitions during emerging-market financial crises, that is, so-called “fire-sale FDI.” Our findings shed fresh light on whether the transactions undertaken during crisis periods differ in fundamental ways from those undertaken during more tranquil periods.

Forecasting the Price of Oil

Staff Working Paper 2011-15 Ron Alquist, Lutz Kilian, Robert Vigfusson
We address some of the key questions that arise in forecasting the price of crude oil. What do applied forecasters need to know about the choice of sample period and about the tradeoffs between alternative oil price series and model specifications?

How Important Is Liquidity Risk for Sovereign Bond Risk Premia? Evidence from the London Stock Exchange

Staff Working Paper 2008-47 Ron Alquist
This paper uses the framework of arbitrage-pricing theory to study the relationship between liquidity risk and sovereign bond risk premia. The London Stock Exchange in the late 19th century is an ideal laboratory in which to test the proposition that liquidity risk affects the price of sovereign debt.
Content Type(s): Staff research, Staff working papers Topic(s): Financial markets, International topics JEL Code(s): F, F2, F21, F3, F34, F36, G, G1, G12, G15

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Bank publications

Bank of Canada Review articles

June 9, 2010

Crude Oil Futures: A Crystal Ball?

Based on recent research, this article discusses three ways that oil-futures prices can improve our understanding of current conditions and future prospects in the global market for crude oil. First, the response of the oil-futures curve can be used to identify the persistence of oil-price shocks and to obtain an indicator of the rate at which they will diminish. Second, the spread between the current futures price and the spot price of oil can be interpreted as an indicator of the precautionary demand for oil. Third, because oil-futures prices are volatile, forecasts of the future spot price of oil using futures prices should be supplemented with other information to improve their accuracy.

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