But energy prices did fall, from around $19 a barrel of crude oil in june of 1993 to less than $15 a barrel in december 1993, forcing MGRM to come up with enormous amounts of mobey to fund margin calls and rollover losses so that its hedge positions could be maintained. In response to these reversals, MG's supervisory board brought in new management, which quickly made the decision to liquidate the bulk of MGRM's derivatives positions and forward supply contracts
While complete information about all aspects of MGRM's energy and hedging strategies is not yet available, some key implications can already be drawn from the MG experience. First, conflicting and inappropriate accounting and disclosure conventions can undermine a firm's hedging strategy by causing confusion among its creditors and investors about what the firm is doing and about its financial position. Confusion of just this kind undermined public confidence in MG, likely weakening its ability to cope with MGRM's problem
Second, short-term funding requirements such as MG experienced, if not anticipated and properly managed, can undermine an otherwise sound hedging strategy. Finally, lack of understanding at board level about how a firm is using derivatives can ultimarely undermine a firm's hedging strategy.