Dark Inventory

“Shadow inventory” has been cited in print since at least 2007 and refers to real estate properties that are in foreclosure or whose owners are waiting for market conditions to improve to put the properties on the market. “Dark inventory” refers to commodities that are hard to see, such as those “dark pools of liquidity” that are not traded on public exchanges. The term “dark inventory” was coined by Izabella Kaminska in an October 21, 2011 story in Financial Times—Alphaville, “The Power of the Dark Inventory.”
 
The term “dark inventory” has had limited usage, especially when compared to the generally accepted “shadow inventory.”
 
 
Financial Times—Alphaville
Oct 21 2011 14:46
The power of the dark inventory
Izabella Kaminska
(...)
Though, it’s actually come to inspire the plot to our very own action-packed markets adventure, one we’re calling “Dark inventory: The ultimate financial frontier.”
 
Though our book isn’t necessarily fiction. The outline goes as follows.
 
Dark inventory: Inventory that’s out there, but which no-one else can see.
 
It comes in many shapes and forms.
 
Equity inventory, which has been internalised by banks and parked off-balance sheet (appropriately via private dark pools). Copper inventory, which has been stashed off-market and encumbered via finance deals. It’s also yet-to-be-produced commodities which have been pre-sold, but which nobody else knows have been encumbered.
   
Asia Times
Oct 26, 2011
Dark inventory and the death of markets
By Chris Cook
(...)
This dark inventory is, as the name implies, visible only to the issuer, and market participants who have knowledge of its existence have an advantage compared to the majority who are blissfully unaware.
 
Business Insider
The Rise Of Dark Inventory In Housing And Oil
The Automatic Earth|January 14, 2012|13,697|23
I’d like to try a little intellectual exercise. There were two pieces in my mailbox this week that concerned posts at Naked Capitalism. Though their topics have at first glance little to do with one another, there is a term that is pivotal to both. Inventory.
 
When it comes to real estate, it’s popularly called “shadow inventory”. With regards to commodities, the term “dark inventory” has been coined. While there are plenty of differences in the way the terms are applied, I’m for now intrigued more by - potential - similarities between them.
 
Financial Times—Alphaville
May 01 2012 16:17
Dark inventory, a volatility shock absorber
Izabella Kaminska
From oil to copper, something strange is going on with commodity inventories.
 
Official stocks are rising across numerous commodities, but analysts and traders swear fundamentals remain tight, while prices stay supported: ...
 
Twitter
David Galbraith
‏@daveg
Dark inventory story is surely an inevitable example of what happens when ubiquitous information tech threatens info advantage @izakaminska
2:09 AM - Oct 28, 2012