A multi-factor commodity portfolio combining the momentum, basis, basis-momentum, hedging pressure and value commodity factor portfolios outperforms significantly, economically and statistically, widely used commodity benchmarks. We find evidence that a variance timing strategy applied to commodity factor portfolios generates timing gains for the commodity momentum factor but not the other commodity factors. Dynamic commodities strategies based on commodity factor return prediction models provide little value added.

We provide evidence using data from the G7 countries suggesting that return dispersion may serve as an economic state variable in that it reliably predicts time-variation in economic activity, market returns, the value and momentum premia and market volatility. A relatively high return dispersion predicts a deterioration in business conditions, a higher value premium, a smaller momentum premium and lower market returns. Dispersion based market and factor timing strategies outperform out-of-sample buy and hold strategies. The evidence are robust to alternative specifications of return dispersion and are not driven by US data. Return dispersion conveys incremental information relative to idiosyncratic risk.