“Markets for more than a few years into the future normally say that the best forecast is that conditions will stay the same and/or that existing trends will continue.”
Judging from the crude oil data, futures markets tend to lag current prices; ie, if the current price was $20 a few days/weeks/months/years ago, the futures price will be $20 today. Markets have short-term memories; they think of “normal” as what conditions have been like for the past few years, and so if there’s a deviation from “normal” (in either direction), people predict that the deviation will correct itself over time.
“Markets for more than a few years into the future normally say that the best forecast is that conditions will stay the same and/or that existing trends will continue.”
Judging from the crude oil data, futures markets tend to lag current prices; ie, if the current price was $20 a few days/weeks/months/years ago, the futures price will be $20 today. Markets have short-term memories; they think of “normal” as what conditions have been like for the past few years, and so if there’s a deviation from “normal” (in either direction), people predict that the deviation will correct itself over time.