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Investments in Derivatives Contracts
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Notes to Financial Statements  
Investments in Derivatives Contracts

NOTE F – INVESTMENTS IN DERIVATIVES CONTRACTS

 

Investments in derivative contracts are subject to additional risks that can result in a loss of the investment. The Fund’s activities and exposure are classified by the following underlying risks: interest rate, credit foreign currency exchange rate, commodity price, and equity price risks. In addition, the Fund is also subject to counterparty risk should its counterparties fail to meet the terms of their contracts.

 

The Fund’s derivative activity is stated at fair value. Changes in unrealized appreciation or depreciation of the investments are recognized as unrealized gains and losses in the Interim Statements of Operations.

 

Forward Contracts

 

Forward currency and commodities transactions are contracts for delayed delivery of specific currencies and commodities in which the seller agrees to make delivery at a specified date. The Fund enters into these contracts as speculative investments in the change in value of foreign currencies. Risks associated with foreign currency and commodities contracts include the inability of counterparties to meet the terms of their contracts as well as movements in fair value and exchange rates. Changes in unrealized appreciation or depreciation of the investments are recognized as unrealized gains and losses in the Interim Statements of Operations.

 

Futures Contracts

 

A futures contract represents a commitment for the future purchase or sale of an asset at a specified price on a specified date. The Fund may use futures contracts to gain exposure to, or hedge against, changes in the value of equities and commodities, interest rates or foreign currencies.

 

Futures contracts provide reduced counterparty risk to the Fund since futures are exchange-traded. The purchase and sale of futures contracts requires margin deposits with a Futures Commission Merchant (“FCM”). Payments are made or received by the Fund each day, depending on the fluctuations in the contract value, and are recorded as unrealized gains or losses on the Fund’s financial statements.

 

The volume of the Fund’s derivative activities based on their notional amounts and number of contracts as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011:

 

March 31, 2012 Long Exposure  Short Exposure
Primary Underlying Risk   Notional Amounts    Number of Contracts    Notional Amounts    Number of Contracts 
Foreign currency exchange rate                    
     Forward contracts  $4,876,850    4,841,310   $874,791    843,564 
Commodity price                    
     Futures contracts   131,468,896    2,069    51,806,846    480 
Total  $136,345,746    4,843,379   $52,681,637    844,044 

 

December 31, 2011 Long Exposure  Short Exposure
Primary Underlying Risk   Notional Amounts    Number of Contracts    Notional Amounts    Number of Contracts 
Foreign currency exchange rate                    
     Forward contracts  $4,013,000    4,042,940   $5,320,000    5,307,817 
Commodity price                    
     Futures contracts   188,425,000    1,105    111,445,000    1,179 
Total  $192,438,000    4,044,045   $116,765,000    5,308,996 

 

The fair value amounts of derivative instruments in the statement of financial condition as derivative contracts, categorized by primary underlying risk for the period ended March 31, 2012 and year ended December 31, 2011:

 

   March 31, 2012  December 31, 2011
Primary underlying risk  Derivative Assets  Derivative Liabilities  Derivative Assets  Derivative Liabilities
Foreign currency exchange rate                     
     Forward contracts  $117,661   $237,240   $33,269   $75,746 
Commodity price                    
     Futures contracts   1,593,737    2,016,842    2,445,257    1,794,785 
                     
Gross derivative assets and liabilities   1,711,398    2,254,082    2,478,526    1,870,531 
                     
Less: Master netting arrangements   -0-    -0-    -0-    -0- 
Less: Cash collateral applied   -0-    -0-    -0-    -0- 
                     
Net derivative assets and liabilities  $1,711,398   $2,254,082   $2,478,526   $1,870,531 

 

The net gain and loss amounts included in the statement of operations as net gain (loss) from derivative contracts, categorized by underlying risk for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011:

Primary underlying risk   For the three months ended March 31, 2012    For the three months ended March 31, 2011 
Foreign currency exchange rate          
     Forward contracts  $(30,473)  $131,128 
Commodity price          
     Futures contracts   (1,287,131)   386,096 
Total  $(1,317,604)  $517,224 

 

For the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, futures contracts per Note B are presented net of interest income and expense and commission expense for a net decrease of $112,327 and $20,751 respectively.