Professor T. Randall Fortenbery
519 Taylor Hall
262-4908
trforten@wisc.edu
| Location | B302 BIRGE |
| Time | 11:00 to 12:15 Tues. and Thurs. |
| Office Hours | Fortenbery Office Hours: 1:30 to 2:30 Tues. & Thurs., Other times by appointment. |
| Text | There is no required text book. |
Course Objectives
The objectives of AAE 322 are to:
1) Develop an understanding of the theory and operation of futures and options markets.
2) Examine the interaction between futures and cash markets.
3) Examine the role of futures markets in price discovery.
4) Learn how futures and options markets are used by agribusiness firms to manage price risk.
5) Understand the role of speculation and arbitrage in futures markets.
Class Structure
Classes will consist of lectures, class discussions, and guest speakers. In addition, class members will trade in the futures market using a simulated trading program.
Grading
Your course grade will be determined as follows:
|
First Mid-term Examination......................................... Second Mid-term Examination................................... |
22% 22% |
|
Third Mid-term Examination............................................... |
26% |
|
Homework.......................................................... |
10% |
|
Class Project...................................................... |
20% |
No homework will be accepted late!
RESOURCES
INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY: STEWART PETERSON
NOTES:
Introduction to markets and Basis Relationships
Click here for access to FACTsim - the trading platform: Trading Platform
DIRECTIONS:
1) Go to http://www.factsim.org
2) Choose the Create New Account from the left side bar menu
3) Choose the prepaid account option to create the new account
4) Choose the institution from the drop down menu (do this first) to be University of Wisconsin. Then choose the group to be UW AAE322 Spring09 and enter the password gobroke
5) Fill out the Create User Form on FACTSim. Make sure the students leave the Account Type as Trader. Any other designation will delay their account setup. Make the Institution University of Wisconsin and the State Wisconsin and Time Zone Central. Submit this information.
6) You now have a FACTSim account in the AAE322 Spring09 group. You can go to the Trader Area and start trading.
Click here for instructions on "How to Access the Course Podcast"
Click here to download the instructions for the class project: Project Instructions
Click here for project groups and commodities chosen:
Click here for slides from Lecture 1, Jan 20: two slides per page six slides per page
Click here for slides from Lecture 2, Jan 22: two slides per page six slides per page
NO CLASS JANUARY 27
Click here for slides from Lecture 3, Jan 29: two slides per page six slides per page
Click here for slides from Lecture 4, Feb 3: two slides per page six slides per page
Lecture 5, Feb 5 continue slides from Feb 3.
Lecture 6, Feb 10 - Assign Project Groups and Open Trading Accounts (no slides)
Click here for group lists: AAE322 GROUPS 2009
Click here for slides from Lecture 7, Feb. 12: two slides per page six slides per page
Click here for slides from Lecture 8, Feb. 17: two slides per page six slides per page
FEBRUARY 19 MID-TERM EXAM
Click here for slides from lecture 9, Feb. 24: two slides per page six slides per page
FEBRUARY 26 MEET AS TEAMS
Click here for slides from lecture 10, March 3: two slides per page six slides per page
Click here for slides from lecture 11, March 5: two slides per page six slides per page
Lecture 12, March 10 - Guest Lecture by Robert Mann, Allstar Trading
Click here for slides from Lecture 13, March 12: two slides per page six slides per page
Lecture 14, March 24 continue slides from March 12.
Click here for slides from lecture 15, March 26: two slides per page six slides per page
Click here for slides from lecture 16, March 31: two slides per page six slides per page
Click here for slides from lecture 17, April 7: two slides per page six slides per page
Click here for slides from lecture 18, April 9: two slides per page six slides per page
No slides from lecture 19, April 14 on exchange rates
No slides from lecture 20, April 16 on exchange rates
Click here for slides from Professor Gould's lecture on April 21: two slides per page six slides per page
HOME WORKS
Homework #1: Pay your $15 fee by February 5 - Pick your trading partners by February 5
Homework #2: Due Feb. 17 in class. Homework 2 Key for Homework 2
Homework #3: Due March 3 in class. Homework 3
Homework #4: Due March 31 in class. Homework 4 Key for homework 4
Homework #5: Due April 16 in class. Homework 5
Homework #5 Part 2: Due May 5 in class. Homework 5 Part 2
Homework #6. Due May 5 in class. Homework 6
Schedule
Part 1. (About 1.5 weeks)
| Introduction | ||
| A. History and Evolution of Futures Markets | ||
| B. Exchange Organization | ||
| C. Trading Futures Contracts |
Resources:
Web sites for Part 1:
Chicago Board of Trade Web Site
Chicago Mercantile Exchange
Part 2. (About 2.5 Weeks)
Economics of Futures
|
||
| A. Price Relationships for Storable Commodities | ||
| B. Price Relationships for Non-storable Commodities | ||
| C. Futures Price Spread Relationships |
Resources:
Web sites for Part 2:
Center
for Futures and Options Research at the University of Illinois
National
Agricultural Statistics Service of USDA
FIRST MID-TERM EXAM February 19
CLICK HERE FOR A SAMPLE EXAM FROM A PREVIOUS YEAR: Old Midterm
Part 3. ( About 2 weeks)
| Options on Futures Contracts | |
| A. Option Pricing | |
| B. Option Trading Strategies |
Part 4. (About 3 weeks)
| Price Performance & Forecasting | |
| A. Fundamental and Technical Analysis | |
| B. Price Performance and Behavior |
Resources:
SECOND MID-TERM EXAM APRIL 2
CLICK HERE FOR A SAMPLE EXAM FROM A PREVIOUS YEAR: Old Midterm
Part 5. (About 2.5 Weeks)
| Managing Market Price Risk | |||
| A. Combining Futures and Options | |||
| B. Selecting the Right Strategy |
Part 6. (1.5 weeks)
Financial Futures
THIRD MID-TERM EXAM MAY 7
CLICK HERE FOR A SAMPLE EXAM FROM A PREVIOUS YEAR (this final was comprehensive so ignore stuff from previous exams: Old Final
FINAL PROJECT DUE MAY 13 @ 4:45