Managed futures hedge funds manage the roll yield when trading futures contracts in a number of ways, including:
- Rolling contracts: The most common way to manage roll yield is to roll contracts. This involves selling out of a near-month contract and buying a back-month contract before the near-month contract expires. The difference in price between the two contracts is the roll yield.
- Using spreads: Another way to manage roll yield is to use spreads. This involves buying and selling futures contracts in different months or in different commodities. The difference in price between the two contracts is the spread. Spreads can be used to offset the negative impact of roll yield.
- Using options: Managed futures hedge funds can also use options to manage roll yield. Options give the holder the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a futures contract at a specified price on or before a specified date. Options can be used to hedge against the risk of adverse price movements in futures contracts.
The specific way that a managed futures hedge fund manages roll yield will depend on a number of factors, including the fund's investment strategy, the market conditions, and the fund's risk tolerance.
Here are some specific examples of how managed futures hedge funds manage roll yield:
- A managed futures hedge fund may roll a long position in a near-month S&P 500 futures contract into a long position in a back-month S&P 500 futures contract to avoid the negative impact of roll yield.
- A managed futures hedge fund may buy a spread of a long position in a near-month gold futures contract and a short position in a back-month gold futures contract to profit from the difference in price between the two contracts.
- A managed futures hedge fund may buy a put option on a near-month S&P 500 futures contract to hedge against the risk of a decline in the S&P 500 index.
By managing roll yield effectively, managed futures hedge funds can improve their returns and reduce their risk.
It is important to note that roll yield can be both positive and negative. When the front-month contract is trading at a premium to the back-month contract, this is known as contango. When the front-month contract is trading at a discount to the back-month contract, this is known as backwardation.
Managed futures hedge funds can use roll yield to their advantage by taking positions in markets that are in backwardation and avoiding positions in markets that are in contango. For example, a managed futures hedge fund might buy a futures contract in a market that is in backwardation because they expect the price of the underlying asset to rise.
Overall, roll yield is an important factor that managed futures hedge funds need to consider when trading futures contracts. By managing roll yield effectively, managed futures hedge funds can improve their returns and reduce their risk.