This study estimates optimal hedge ratios using various econometric models. These models are evaluated based on the in- and out-of-sample optimal hedge ratio forecasts. Using daily data of spot and futures 1-month, 3-month, 6-month prices of aluminum and copper in the Shanghai Futures Exchange, the optimal hedge ratios are calculated from the OLS regression model, the VAR with error correction model, the bivariate GARCH model and the Exponential GARCH (EGARCH) Model. Hedging performance in terms of variance reduction of returns from four different models are also conducted. It is found that the EGARCH hedge ratio provides the largest reduction in the variance of the return portfolio, but they do not perform better than the alternatives over the out-of-sample period.
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