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RESEARCH PRODUCT

THE STOCHASTIC VOLATILITY MODEL OF BARNDORFF-NIELSEN AND SHEPHARD IN COMMODITY MARKETS

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We consider the non-Gaussian stochastic volatility model of Barndorff-Nielsen and Shephard for the exponential mean-reversion model of Schwartz proposed for commodity spot prices. We analyze the properties of the stochastic dynamics, and show in particular that the log-spot prices possess a stationary distribution defined as a normal variance-mixture model. Furthermore, the stochastic volatility model allows for explicit forward prices, which may produce a hump structure inherited from the mean-reversion of the stochastic volatility. Although the spot price dynamics has continuous paths, the forward prices will have a jump dynamics, where jumps occur according to changes in the volatility process. We compare with the popular Heston stochastic volatility dynamics, and show that the Barndorff-Nielsen and Shephard model provides a more flexible framework in describing commodity spot prices. An empirical example on UK spot data is included.