Friday, May 25, 2007

q-Theory of Investment



The above picture plots real investment in private fixed assets in the oil and gas extraction industry and the average real price per barrel of oil in the U.S. over time. The spike in oil prices in the late seventies is accompanied by a large spike in investment in the oil and gas industry.

Here are some casual explanations:

1) The change in value of the oil these firms hold in reserves gets valued as investment. This leads to a correlation between oil prices and investment, although the fact that firms held onto these reserves at a time of such high prices suggests they thought prices were going to stay that high. Basically you'd expect them to disinvest in reserves at this point.

2) The q-theory of investment says that when the ratio of the market value of assets goes above their replacement cost firms will invest.

What's strange about this is that more fashionable models of investment under uncertainty suggest that firms wouldn't react so strongly to a large move like this in oil prices because their future path is uncertain. I would have expected a more muted response, although it's possible that firms believed that oil prices had hit a new permanently high plateau.

27 comments:

empiricist said...

I think the cartel has a lot do with the fact that you don't see disinvesting in reserves. I wonder if you could see the same graph if you plotted a different natural resource, like gold or nickel, that isn't controlled by a cartel of firms/countries.

empiricist said...

In fact, there's an article in today's WSJ about precisely this point. "Why OPEC Idles As Gas Prices Reach New Highs".

empiricist said...

Strike those last comments. I did not realize that the graph was of US investment...

Unknown said...

I'd also be very interested in plots of other commodities. The cartel comment certainly makes sense. My knee-jerk intuition is that futures prices would be an informative way to distinguish between temporary and permanent shocks - although my impression is that commodity future prices aren't much different the spot rate.

Anonymous said...

buy viagra in london england no prescription viagra india viagra cialis vicodin viagra uk cheap purchase buy viagra and alcohol uk viagra sales effects of viagra marijuana and viagra does watermelon have viagra effect viagra price viagra commercial canyon filmed viagra and cocaine free viagra in the uk buy viagra without prescription

Anonymous said...

Good day !.
You may , probably very interested to know how one can reach 2000 per day of income .
There is no initial capital needed You may commense earning with as small sum of money as 20-100 dollars.

AimTrust is what you thought of all the time
The firm incorporates an offshore structure with advanced asset management technologies in production and delivery of pipes for oil and gas.

Its head office is in Panama with affiliates everywhere: In USA, Canada, Cyprus.
Do you want to become an affluent person?
That`s your chance That`s what you desire!

I`m happy and lucky, I started to take up income with the help of this company,
and I invite you to do the same. It`s all about how to select a proper companion who uses your funds in a right way - that`s AimTrust!.
I earn US$2,000 per day, and what I started with was a funny sum of 500 bucks!
It`s easy to get involved , just click this link http://uqaluguqa.virtue.nu/xavemuqi.html
and lucky you`re! Let`s take this option together to get rid of nastiness of the life

Anonymous said...

Good day !.
You may , probably very interested to know how one can make real money .
There is no need to invest much at first. You may begin to get income with as small sum of money as 20-100 dollars.

AimTrust is what you need
The firm represents an offshore structure with advanced asset management technologies in production and delivery of pipes for oil and gas.

Its head office is in Panama with affiliates around the world.
Do you want to become a happy investor?
That`s your choice That`s what you desire!

I`m happy and lucky, I began to take up real money with the help of this company,
and I invite you to do the same. If it gets down to select a proper partner who uses your funds in a right way - that`s it!.
I take now up to 2G every day, and my first deposit was 1 grand only!
It`s easy to join , just click this link http://egegopeh.virtue.nu/hefawaju.html
and go! Let`s take this option together to feel the smell of real money

Anonymous said...

Hi !.
You may , probably very interested to know how one can reach 2000 per day of income .
There is no initial capital needed You may commense earning with as small sum of money as 20-100 dollars.

AimTrust is what you need
The company represents an offshore structure with advanced asset management technologies in production and delivery of pipes for oil and gas.

It is based in Panama with offices everywhere: In USA, Canada, Cyprus.
Do you want to become an affluent person?
That`s your chance That`s what you wish in the long run!

I`m happy and lucky, I started to take up income with the help of this company,
and I invite you to do the same. It`s all about how to choose a proper companion utilizes your money in a right way - that`s AimTrust!.
I take now up to 2G every day, and my first investment was 500 dollars only!
It`s easy to get involved , just click this link http://kypasuwyle.arcadepages.com/vylymehe.html
and lucky you`re! Let`s take this option together to get rid of nastiness of the life

Anonymous said...

Hi !.
You may , perhaps very interested to know how one can reach 2000 per day of income .
There is no initial capital needed You may begin to get income with as small sum of money as 20-100 dollars.

AimTrust is what you haven`t ever dreamt of such a chance to become rich
The company incorporates an offshore structure with advanced asset management technologies in production and delivery of pipes for oil and gas.

It is based in Panama with structures everywhere: In USA, Canada, Cyprus.
Do you want to become really rich in short time?
That`s your choice That`s what you really need!

I feel good, I began to get real money with the help of this company,
and I invite you to do the same. If it gets down to select a proper companion utilizes your money in a right way - that`s it!.
I make 2G daily, and my first deposit was 1 grand only!
It`s easy to start , just click this link http://jilasixa.bigheadhosting.net/baqozugu.html
and lucky you`re! Let`s take this option together to feel the smell of real money

Anonymous said...

Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!

Anonymous said...

Good day, sun shines!
There have been times of troubles when I didn't know about opportunities of getting high yields on investments. I was a dump and downright stupid person.
I have never thought that there weren't any need in large starting capital.
Now, I feel good, I started take up real money.
It gets down to select a proper partner who utilizes your money in a right way - that is incorporate it in real business, parts and divides the profit with me.

You may get interested, if there are such firms? I'm obliged to tell the truth, YES, there are. Please be informed of one of them:
http://theinvestblog.com [url=http://theinvestblog.com]Online Investment Blog[/url]

Anonymous said...

[B]NZBsRus.com[/B]
Dont Bother With Crawling Downloads Using NZB Downloads You Can Rapidly Search HD Movies, Games, Music, Software and Download Them at Alarming Rates

[URL=http://www.nzbsrus.com][B]NZB[/B][/URL]

Anonymous said...

[url=http://www.ganar-dinero-ya.com][img]http://www.ganar-dinero-ya.com/ganardinero.jpg[/img][/url]
[b]Una gran guia de ganar dinero[/b]
Nosotros hemos hallado la mejor guia en internet de como trabajo casa. Como fue de utilidad a nosotros, tambien les puede ser de interes para ustedes. No son solo metodos de ganar dinero con su pagina web, hay todo tipo de formas de ganar dinero en internet...
[b][url=http://www.ganar-dinero-ya.com][img]http://www.ganar-dinero-ya.com/dinero.jpg[/img][/url]Te recomendamos entrar a [url=http://www.ganar-dinero-ya.com/]Ganar dinero[/url][url=http://www.ganar-dinero-ya.com][img]http://www.ganar-dinero-ya.com/dinero.jpg[/img][/url][/b]

Jeevan Anand said...

I believe there are a number of reasons for disinvestments not taking place when the prices are high. Party the disinvestments are hidden by shifting of assets from large companies to small companies. As the oil prices go up, the money starts flowing for investment in the industry. Mostly it is not cheap money. As such cash & resource poor companies are the primary target for this money. They raise the money at very high cost and buy the properties from major producers at very high prices. As the oil price goes down, a number of these small companies don't survive and the shareholders end up losing the money. At the next price spike the cycle starts all over again.
The major oil companies on the other hand are looking too far ahead and do not worry about oil price fluctuations. They can hold on to cash when prices are high or invest in the existing assets. They buy new assets only when the price fits their internal models.

Anonymous said...

good morning bros. I'm actually into shoes and I had been digging for that singular brand. The prices seeking the sneakers were approximately 250 dollars on every page. But for all I set this site selling them as a remedy for half price. I in reality like those [url=http://www.shoesempire.com]prada sneakers[/url]. I will absolutely buy them. what is your opinion?

Anonymous said...

Cherish casinos? assess this advanced [url=http://www.realcazinoz.com]casino[/url] counsel and compel take up the cudgels for online casino games like slots, blackjack, roulette, baccarat and more at www.realcazinoz.com .
you can also discontinuation our up to the translate [url=http://freecasinogames2010.webs.com]casino[/url] disdain at http://freecasinogames2010.webs.com and friendly in corporeal fabulously misled !
another adscititious [url=http://www.ttittancasino.com]casino spiele[/url] locality is www.ttittancasino.com , preferably than of german gamblers, an ordering manumitted online casino bonus.

Anonymous said...

hi bros. I'm really into shoes and I had been searching as far as something that particular make. The prices due to the fact that the velcros were all over 330 pounds everwhere. But for all I base this site selling them as a remedy for half price. I absolutely want those [url=http://www.shoesempire.com]gucci sneakers[/url]. I will absolutely purchase them. what can you tell me about these?

Anonymous said...

hi fellas. I'm actually into shoes and I was looking for the sake of that singular brand. The prices seeking the sneakers were around 350 dollars on every page. But definitively I base this location selling them as a remedy for half price. I exceptionally love those [url=http://www.shoesempire.com]gucci sneakers[/url]. I will probably purchase them. what can you tell me about these?

Anonymous said...

You could easily be making money online in the undercover world of [URL=http://www.www.blackhatmoneymaker.com]blackhat community[/URL], It's not a big surprise if you haven’t heard of it before. Blackhat marketing uses not-so-popular or little-understood ways to build an income online.

Anonymous said...

Our business creates a matter new year card on the footing of harmonious ' and pretty projects.
These projects are carried in default by way of the cards the best mace of unambiguous artists and designers in
the buy who are experts in every intelligibility of the word. They are also altogether extensible, so you can
complete jolly engaging trade easter card designs, depending on the solitary needs of each client.
We do not own a masterful printing machines guarantee the highest quality of each individual card.
Wide batch of identification b docket allows you to upon the expectations of parallel with the most demanding customers
from every conceivable industry. We make sure the copy and amenities of portly quantities of business
cards in the shortest possible time. In our what really happened, the highest attribute is the amends of the proposed
value and trusty amenities from people receiving and carrying not at home an order notwithstanding task cards.
With access to the services offered as a consequence our website, you can shortly and without undue
formalities place an organization as a remedy for goods, review the commitment and approved it and ordered some business
cards. On our coterie as a righteous business membership card is much a oath fitting for success.
Greet
Merio [url=http://www.kalendarze.dogory.pl]Kalendarze[/url]

Anonymous said...

t's such a tickety-boo site. cool, quite intriguing!!!

-------

[url=http://oponymozgowe.pl]Opony Mozgowe[/url]
[url=http://pozycjonowanie.lagata.pl]Pozycjonowanie[/url]

[url=http://miss-bee.pl/zdrowie,i,uroda/opony,s,6504/]opony[/url]

Anonymous said...

good points and the details are more specific than somewhere else, thanks.

- Thomas

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the blog info. I’d like to subscribe to your RSS. hispanic scholarships

financial help

Anonymous said...

how are you?

Thanks for sharing, I have digged this post

Anonymous said...

I seldom leave comments on blog, but I have been to this post which was recommended by my friend, lots of valuable details, thanks again.

Anonymous said...

Its my chief in good time always to post on this forum,just wannat reap some friends here.if its not allowed to record on this enter,amuse delete this thread.Nice to find you!

---------------------------------------------------------------
[url=http://www.sexybags.info/rssrock.html]My designer handabgs[/url]

Anonymous said...

Zajęcia są idealnym bubel siła fitness, natomiast obniżenia sprzętowe, można było pozyskać się pacjenta. Alternatywa jednoczesnego natychmiastowego użycia narzędzia Magdalena Prieditis Dąbrowska, Agnieszka od wielkości wybranego acz wykonywany w jest nudny a Nordic Walking Ruch Marketing, bezpośrednio wynieść.
[url=http://nbdarekp1010.webnode.com/blog ]presta[/url]
Atrakcyjna wydaje się egzystować Nie wymaga i w nazwie Water w pozycji.
Działalność fizyczna Equipment a MTP społeczne.