Abstract
Futures investors are frequently said to periodically pay or receive the difference in futures prices across contracts with different delivery dates. But this “roll yield” is mythical: No such cash flow occurs—at the time of roll trades or on any other date. However, although the term is a misnomer, the roll yield does contain useful information. It explains when futures gains exceed or fall short of spot-price changes, and for storable assets, it provides information regarding benefits to the marginal holder of a spot position. This article clarifies the actual role of the roll yield.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 41-53 |
Number of pages | 13 |
Journal | Financial Analysts Journal |
Volume | 74 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2018 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Accounting
- Finance
- Economics and Econometrics