Japan’s nuclear woes alter dynamics for Asian commodity derivatives

The Japanese economy is tipped to stage a ‘V-shaped’ recovery from the effects of the worst earthquake in its modern history, with dealers expecting regional commodity markets to rise in the third quarter. While the initial impact of the shock has since been subsumed by ongoing turmoil in the Middle East and Africa, Japan’s nuclear crisis has the potential to re-shape regional energy derivatives markets.

Trading on the Tokyo Commodities Exchange (Tocom) doubled as investors scrambled to close positions while the Tohku earthquake and tsunami devastated large parts of northeastern Japan’s economic infrastructure.

Mitsuhiro Onosata, executive officer for corporate planning and global business development with Tocom says on March 11 – the day the earthquake struck – trading volume on the exchange jumped by 40,000 contracts, or 35%, from 113,856 to 154,160 and continued to rise to a high of 220,525