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Monopoly Power, Futures Market Manipulation, and the Oil Price Bubble

Author

Listed:
  • Just David R.

    (Cornell University)

  • Just Richard E.

    (University of Maryland)

Abstract

The US Congress has become concerned with the possibility that much of the recent rise in oil prices is due to speculation or market manipulation. We propose a theory of futures market manipulation that can potentially explain such manipulation and an associated price bubble. Our model involves a price-setting off-shore exporter (e.g., OPEC) of a commodity (e.g., oil) with price-taking domestic production and consumption sectors. If domestic next-period price expectations are linked to futures prices, then OPEC may drive up current prices through manipulative buying in the futures market, achieving an increase in market power for their cash-market exports. An increase in future price expectations increases storage, artificially driving up current market prices. We explore the conditions necessary to make this an optimal strategy for OPEC.

Suggested Citation

  • Just David R. & Just Richard E., 2008. "Monopoly Power, Futures Market Manipulation, and the Oil Price Bubble," Journal of Agricultural & Food Industrial Organization, De Gruyter, vol. 6(2), pages 1-29, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:bjafio:v:6:y:2008:i:2:n:2
    DOI: 10.2202/1542-0485.1241
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ronald Britto, 1984. "The Simultaneous Determination of Spot and Futures Prices in a Simple Model with Production Risk," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 99(2), pages 351-365.
    2. Harvey Lapan & Giancarlo Moschini, 1994. "Futures Hedging Under Price, Basis, and Production Risk," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 76(3), pages 465-477.
    3. Holthausen, Duncan M, 1979. "Hedging and the Competitive Firm under Price Uncertainty," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 69(5), pages 989-995, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Tokic, Damir, 2011. "Rational destabilizing speculation, positive feedback trading, and the oil bubble of 2008," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(4), pages 2051-2061, April.
    2. Philip Abbott, 2014. "Biofuels, Binding Constraints, and Agricultural Commodity Price Volatility," NBER Chapters, in: The Economics of Food Price Volatility, pages 91-131, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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