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Multi-Task Forecasting of the Realized Volatilities of Agricultural Commodity Prices

Author

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  • Rangan Gupta

    (Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa)

  • Christian Pierdzioch

    (Department of Economics, Helmut Schmidt University, Holstenhofweg 85, P.O. Box 700822, 22008 Hamburg, Germany)

Abstract

Motivated by the comovement of realized volatilities (RVs) of agricultural commodity prices, we study whether multi-task forecasting algorithms improve the accuracy of out-of-sample forecasts of 15 agricultural commodities during the sample period from July 2015 to April 2023. We consider alternative multi-task stacking algorithms and variants of the multivariate Lasso estimator. We find evidence of in-sample predictability but scarce evidence that multi-task forecasting improves out-of-sample forecasts relative to a classic univariate heterogeneous autoregressive (HAR)-RV model. This lack of systematic evidence of out-of-sample forecasting gains is corroborated by extensive robustness checks, including an in-depth study of the quantiles of the distributions of the RVs and subsample periods that account for increases in the total spillovers among the RVs. We also study an extended model that features the RVs of energy commodities and precious metals, but our conclusions remain unaffected. Besides offering important lessons for future research, our results are interesting for financial market participants, who rely on accurate forecasts of RVs when solving portfolio optimization and derivatives pricing problems, and policymakers, who need accurate forecasts of RVs when designing policies to mitigate the potential adverse effects of a rise in the RVs of agricultural commodity prices and the concomitant economic and political uncertainty.

Suggested Citation

  • Rangan Gupta & Christian Pierdzioch, 2024. "Multi-Task Forecasting of the Realized Volatilities of Agricultural Commodity Prices," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-26, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jmathe:v:12:y:2024:i:18:p:2952-:d:1483479
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    agricultural commodities; realized volatility; multi-task forecasting;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C22 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes
    • C32 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes; State Space Models
    • C53 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Forecasting and Prediction Models; Simulation Methods
    • Q11 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Aggregate Supply and Demand Analysis; Prices

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