Effectiveness of Artificial Neural Networks in Hedging Against WTI Crude Oil Price Risk

Despite the growing share of renewable energy sources, most of the world energy supply is still based on hydrocarbons and the vast majority of world transport is fuelled by oil products. Thus, the profitability of many companies may depend on the effective management of oil price risk. In this article, we analysed the effectiveness of artificial neural networks in hedging against the risk of WTI crude oil prices increase. This was reformulated from a regressive problem to a classification problem. The effectiveness of our approach, using artificial neural networks to classify observations, was verified for over ten years of WTI futures quotes, starting from 2009. The data analysis presented in this paper confirmed that the buyer of a call option was more often likely to incur a loss as a result of its purchase than make a profit after the final payoff from the call option. The results of the conducted research confirm that neural networks can be an effective form of protection against the risk of price fluctuations. The effectiveness of a network’s operation depends on the choice of assessment indicators, but analyses show that the networks which, for the indicator that was selected, gave the best results for the training set, also resulted in positive rates of return for the test set. Significantly, we also showed interdependence between seemingly unrelated indicators: percentage of the best possible results achieved in the analysed period of time by the proposed method and percentage of all available call options that were purchased based on the results from the networks that were used.

Sectoral Performance and the Government Interventions during COVID-19 Pandemic: Australian Evidence

This study explores the contrasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on various industries in Australia. Considering all daily announced information, we analyzed the diverse impacts of COVID-19 on the sectoral stock returns from 26 January to 20 July 2020. Sixteen out of twenty examined stock indices negatively react to the daily rise in COVID-19 confirmed cases. Several actions from the Australian government to control the pandemic are relatively ineffective in boosting the overall financial market; however, some positive interactions are captured in five sectors of industrials, health care, metals and mining, materials, and resources. The result shows that all industries that benefited from government financial assistance are either shielded or less severely affected by the pandemic. While sectors that did not directly receive financial remedies relatively showed no enhancement in their overall performance. Having achieved short-term success in helping the economy, the government recorded an all-time high deficit since 2004 that might eventually lead to adverse effects on the overall economy. The Australian equity market is found to be rationally distinct to the crude oil price risk, while positive correlations between AUD/USD rate and real estate-related sectors are reported.

Are Islamic stocks subject to oil price risk exposure?

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine whether oil price risk is a significant determinant of stock returns. Design/methodology/approach Using monthly data on a sample of Islamic stocks listed on the New York Stock Exchanges and National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations System (NASDAQ) over the period from January 1990 to December 2017, the study examines whether oil price risk is a significant determinant of stock returns using Fama–French–Carhart’s four-factor asset pricing model amplified with Brent oil price factor. Findings The results from the cross-sectional regression analysis indicate that the extent of the exposure is significantly positive using a full sample period. Moreover, results from size and momentum factors are highly significant whereas book-to-market has no significant impact on Islamic stock returns. Research limitations/implications The results support the concept for diversification in equity investment and are thus important for investors, analysts and policymakers. Originality/value This study is the first of its kind to establish whether oil price risk is a factor that can determine returns of Islamic listed stocks using the most developed stock market in the world (New York Stock Exchanges and NASDAQ).