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Gold mining companies and the price of gold

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  • Dirk G. Baur

Abstract

This paper studies the exposure of Australian gold mining firms to changes in the gold price. We use a theoretical framework to formulate testable hypotheses regarding the gold exposure of gold mining firms. The empirical analysis based on all gold mining firms in the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold Index for the period from January 1980 to December 2010 finds that the average gold beta is around one but varies significantly through time. The relatively low average gold beta is attributed to the hedging and diversification of gold mining firms. We further find an asymmetric effect in gold betas, i.e. the gold exposure increases with positive gold price changes and decreases with negative gold price changes consistent with gold mining companies exercising real options on gold.

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  • Dirk G. Baur, 2014. "Gold mining companies and the price of gold," Review of Financial Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 23(4), pages 174-181, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:revfec:v:23:y:2014:i:4:p:174-181
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rfe.2014.07.001
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Robert Faff & David Hillier, 2004. "An International Investigation of the Factors that Determine Conditional Gold Betas," The Financial Review, Eastern Finance Association, vol. 39(3), pages 473-488, August.
    2. Les Coleman, 2010. "The price gold shareholders place on market risks," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(10), pages 795-802.
    3. Ľuboš Pástor & Robert F. Stambaugh, 1999. "Costs of Equity Capital and Model Mispricing," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 54(1), pages 67-121, February.
    4. Tufano, Peter, 1996. "Who Manages Risk? An Empirical Examination of Risk Management Practices in the Gold Mining Industry," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 51(4), pages 1097-1137, September.
    5. repec:bla:jfinan:v:53:y:1998:i:3:p:1015-1052 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Robert Faff & Howard Chan, 1998. "A multifactor model of gold industry stock returns: evidence from the Australian equity market," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(1), pages 21-28.
    7. Brennan, Michael J & Schwartz, Eduardo S, 1985. "Evaluating Natural Resource Investments," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 58(2), pages 135-157, April.
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    Cited by:

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    4. Baur, Dirk G. & Trench, Allan, 2022. "Not all gold shines in crisis times — Gold firms, gold bullion and the COVID-19 shock," Journal of Commodity Markets, Elsevier, vol. 28(C).

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