Energy markets have undergone significant evolution and change over time, shaped by various aspects, such as geopolitical tensions, pandemics, and the ongoing global energy transition. This transformation presents a critical challenge for portfolio optimization, making it essential to understand how market changes affect investment and hedging strategies in these commodities. Using Bloomberg data for the period from August 17th, 2012 to August 11th, 2023, the thesis investigates the shifting weights and performance of optimized portfolios consisting solely of oil, gas, and coal futures, in the context of evolving energy markets. This study explores how factors connected to geographical location, such as local or global conflicts, extreme weather events, as well as transition to renewable energy sources have heightened market volatility and impacted portfolio dynamics. Employing the Conditional Value at Risk (CVaR) and maximum Sharpe Ratio (max SR) optimization models, it analyzes the changes in portfolio composition and performance over time and then compares the results of two models. The study shows that throughout the years, standard deviation of energy futures log returns displays notable fluctuations and differences among regions and energy sources, particularly in recent years. Next, it reveals that despite max SR portfolios consistently presenting higher Sharpe Ratios, the SR of the two models demonstrates parallel trajectories. Additionally, CVaR portfolios often show superior logarithmic returns, except for one portfolio featuring low intercorrelated futures, underlining the intricate role of asset correlation in portfolio management. The study also notes that CVaR portfolios with quarterly rebalancing outperform those rebalanced annually. These and other findings, presented in the thesis, provide valuable insights for energy companies and portfolio managers, highlighting the need for adaptive strategies in the face of rapidly evolving energy markets and risk exposures.
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Energy markets have undergone significant evolution and change over time, shaped by various aspects, such as geopolitical tensions, pandemics, and the ongoing global energy transition. This transformation presents a critical challenge for portfolio optimization, making it essential to understand how market changes affect investment and hedging strategies in these commodities. Using Bloomberg data for the period from August 17th, 2012 to August 11th, 2023, the thesis investigates the shifting wei...
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