The propensity to hedge with futures contracts:the case of potato futures contracts

This paper studies why UK non-financial firms hedge with potato futures contracts. It is found that the financial characteristics of firms in the sample play an important role in influencing the propensity to hedge. For example, it is found that firms that hedge are on average larger than firms that do not hedge. Firms that hedge also have more volatile earnings. Furthermore, firms that do hedge appear to want to smooth earnings to reduce the costs of financial distress and avoid entering the highest tax threshold. © 2005 Taylor & Francis.

Viruses and the eye

About 60% of human infections diseases are caused by viruses,including such important diseases as AIDS, polio, rabies and certain forms of cancer. A few groups of viruses are important to optometrists because they either cause a primary eye infection or a systemic viral infection with ocular complications.