El papel de la especulación financiera en la subida de los precios de los alimentos de 2007 a 2014: una aproximación empírica
Palabras clave:
crisis alimentaria, derivados de productos agrícolas, especulación financiera, subida del precio de los alimentos, mercados financierosResumen
El presente artículo tiene como objetivo contribuir al debate sobre la subida de los precios de los alimentos
que comenzó en 2007, defendiendo que la especulación con derivados de productos agrícolas fue una
causa central. El argumento empieza rastreando y examinando los cambios en la oferta y la demanda para
ver cuánto explican de la subida. Una vez identificados los fundamentos que son relevantes como causas,
las malas cosechas y la producción de biocombustibles, y habiendo comprobado que no pueden explicar
la totalidad de la subida de precios, se pasa a exponer el papel jugado por la especulación financiera con
derivados. Se desarrolla el funcionamiento de este tipo de especulación y se muestra cómo engordó una
burbuja financiera e influyó en los mercados al contado, elevando el precio de la comida. La forma exacta
en la que influyó parte de un contexto de liberalización financiera, fue fomentada por distintos participantes
que se sumaron a la especulación con derivados y en última instancia consistió en un cambio en las
expectativas de los productores y distribuidores de alimentos.
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