Are the Gains from Foreign Diversification Diminishing?

Are the Gains from Foreign Diversification Diminishing?
Author: Karen K. Lewis
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2012
Genre: Economics
ISBN:

How important is foreign diversification? In this paper, we re-examine this question motivated by findings from the literature about foreign companies that are listed on US exchanges. Specifically, domestic portfolios including cross-listed stocks can provide the same diversification as foreign market returns without the need for US investors to go abroad. At the same time, the betas of these foreign stock returns against the US market increase after cross-listing, suggesting diversification worsens over time. In this paper, we assess the impact of these changes on foreign diversification for a US investor. We test for and estimate breaks in the sensitivity of individual foreign stocks listed on US exchanges. We find that roughly half of the changes in betas arise from greater integration between the U.S. and the companies' home markets, not in the companies betas themselves. Moreover, the gains from diversifying into these stocks has declined over time.

Is the International Diversification Potential Diminishing? Foreign Equity Inside and Outside the Us

Is the International Diversification Potential Diminishing? Foreign Equity Inside and Outside the Us
Author: Karen K. Lewis
Publisher:
Total Pages: 74
Release: 2010
Genre:
ISBN:

Over the past two decades international markets have become more open, leading to a common perception that global capital markets have become more integrated. In this paper, I ask what this integration and its resulting higher correlation would imply about the diversification potential across countries. For this purpose, I examine two basic groups of international returns: (1) foreign market indices and (2) foreign stocks that are listed and traded in the US. I examine the first group since this is the standard approach in the international diversification literature, while I study the second group since some have argued that US-listed foreign stocks are the more natural diversification vehicle (Errunza et al (1999)). In order to consider the possibility of shifts in the covariance of returns over time, I extend the break-date estimation approach of Bai and Perron (1998) to test for and estimate possible break dates across returns along with their confidence intervals. I find that the covariances among country stock markets have indeed shifted over time for a majority of the countries. But in contrast to the common perception that markets have become significantly more integrated over time, the covariance between foreign markets and the US market have increased only slightly from the beginning to the end of the last twenty years. At the same time, the foreign stocks in the US markets have become significantly more correlated with the US market. To consider the economic significance of these parameter changes, I use the estimates to examine the implications for a simple portfolio decision model in which a US investor could choose between US and foreign portfolios. When restricted to holding foreign assets in the form of market indices, I find that the optimal allocation in foreign market indices actually increases over time. However, the optimal allocation into foreign stocks decreases when the investor is allowed to hold foreign stocks that are traded in the US. Also, the minimum variance attainable by the foreign portfolios has increased over time. These results suggest that the benefits to diversification have declined both for stocks inside and outside the US.

Is the International Diversification Potential Diminishing?

Is the International Diversification Potential Diminishing?
Author: Karen K. Lewis
Publisher:
Total Pages: 73
Release: 2006
Genre: Capital market
ISBN:

Over the past two decades international markets have become more open, leading to a common perception that global capital markets have become more integrated. In this paper, I ask what this integration and its resulting higher correlation would imply about the diversification potential across countries. For this purpose, I examine two basic groups of international returns: (1) foreign market indices and (2) foreign stocks that are listed and traded in the US. I examine the first group since this is the standard approach in the international diversification literature, while I study the second group since some have argued that US-listed foreign stocks are the more natural diversification vehicle (Errunza et al (1999)). In order to consider the possibility of shifts in the covariance of returns over time, I extend the break-date estimation approach of Bai and Perron (1998) to test for and estimate possible break dates across returns along with their confidence intervals. I find that the covariances among country stock markets have indeed shifted over time for a majority of the countries. But in contrast to the common perception that markets have become significantly more integrated over time, the covariance between foreign markets and the US market have increased only slightly from the beginning to the end of the last twenty years. At the same time, the foreign stocks in the US markets have become significantly more correlated with the US market. To consider the economic significance of these parameter changes, I use the estimates to examine the implications for a simple portfolio decision model in which a US investor could choose between US and foreign portfolios. When restricted to holding foreign assets in the form of market indices, I find that the optimal allocation in foreign market indices actually increases over time. However, the optimal allocation into foreign stocks decreases when the investor is allowed to hold foreign stocks that are traded in the US. Also, the minimum variance atta

Economic Benefits of Export Diversification in Small States

Economic Benefits of Export Diversification in Small States
Author: Arnold McIntyre
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 23
Release: 2018-04-11
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1484351010

The paper considers concepts of economic diversification with respect to exports (including service sectors) for small states. We assessed the economic performance of different groups of 34 small states over the period of 1990-2015 and found those more diversified experienced lower output volatility and higher average growth than most other small states. Our findings are consistent with conventional economic theories but we found that export diversification has a more significant impact on reducing output volatility than improving long run growth in small states. Diversification requires fundamental changes and should be contemplated in the context of a cohesive development strategy.

Guide to Investment Strategy

Guide to Investment Strategy
Author: The Economist
Publisher: The Economist
Total Pages: 240
Release: 2018-05-08
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1610399870

Now in its fourth edition, this classic guide to investment strategy has been revised to give up-to-date ideas on pensions, investments of passion and more. Peter Stanyer and Stephen Satchell's Guide to Investment Strategy looks at the risks and opportunities of uncomplicated strategies and comes with wealth warnings for those who wish to explore more sophisticated approaches. It explains the importance of insights from behavioral analysis, the principles of traditional finance, and highlights how habitual patterns of decision-making can lead any of us into costly mistakes. After all, markets are most dangerous when most rewarding.

Economic Diversification in the GCC

Economic Diversification in the GCC
Author: Mr.Tim Callen
Publisher: International Monetary Fund
Total Pages: 32
Release: 2014-12-23
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1498303234

Abstract: The economies of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are heavily reliant on oil. Greater economic diversification would reduce their exposure to volatility and uncertainty in the global oil market, help create jobs in the private sector, increase productivity and sustainable growth, and help create the non-oil economy that will be needed in the future when oil revenues start to dwindle. The GCC countries have followed many of the standard policies that are usually thought to promote more diversified economies, including reforms to improve the business climate, the development of domestic infrastructure, financial deepening, and improvements in education. Nevertheless, success to date has been limited. This paper argues that increased diversification will require realigning incentives for firms and workers in the economies—fixing these incentives is the “missing link” in the GCC countries’ diversification strategies. At present, producing non-tradables is less risky and more profitable for firms as they can benefit from the easy availability of low-wage foreign labor and the rapid growth in government spending, while the continued availability of high-paying and secure public sector jobs discourages nationals from pursuing entrepreneurship and private sector employment. Measures to begin to address these incentive issues could include limiting and reorienting government spending, strengthening private sector competition, providing guarantees and financial support for those firms engaged in export activity, and implementing labor market reforms to make nationals more competitive for private sector employment.

Guide to Investment Strategy

Guide to Investment Strategy
Author: Peter Stanyer
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 223
Release: 2011-09-20
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1118163230

The first edition of The Economist Guide to Investment Strategy explained the fundamentals of investment risk, how to put together "keep-it-simple" investment strategies, and the need to guard against our own behavior leading to dreadful investment mistakes. The global crisis that erupted in 2008 exposed the flaws in many more complicated investment strategies. The second edition starts with a new section on financial fraud and how investors can help to protect themselves against this "hearty perennial." It also includes a new section on risk profiling and discusses the role of risk tolerance questionnaires. In Chapter 3 data are provided pointing to underperformance of equities between 1978 and 2008. Against this background, there is a new Chapter 4—"Which should we do: buy-and-hold or time markets?" Chapter 5, which discusses the design of short-term and long-term strategies, includes a new section—"How safe is cash?"—and the discussion of bond ladders is extended to reflect issues of bond selection in the light of corporate credit risk and the financial difficulties of some US municipal authorities. Part 2 has been updated extensively to reflect developments in the past four years and the impact of the financial crisis on credit instruments, hedge funds, private equity, and real estate. The book concludes with a new chapter on investing in art and collectibles. It explores the argument that art prices "float aimlessly," discusses financial investment in art, and provides some reasons for expecting that a portfolio of art might perform well in the future.

Contemporary Issues in Quantitative Finance

Contemporary Issues in Quantitative Finance
Author: Ahmet Can Inci
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 302
Release: 2023-04-10
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1000859363

Contemporary quantitative finance connects the abstract theory and the practical use of financial innovations, such as ultra-high-frequency trading and cryptocurrencies. It teaches students how to use cutting-edge computational techniques, mathematical tools, and statistical methodologies, with a focus on real-life applications. The textbook opens with chapters on financial markets, global finance, and financial crises, setting the subject in its historical and international context. It then examines key topics in modern quantitative finance, including asset pricing, exchange-traded funds, Monte Carlo simulations, options, alternative investments, artificial intelligence, and big data analytics in finance. Complex theory is condensed to intuition, with appendices presenting advanced mathematical or statistical techniques. Each chapter offers Excel-based implementations, conceptual questions, quantitative problems, and a research project, giving students ample opportunity to develop their skills. Clear chapter objectives, summaries, and key terms also support student learning. Digital supplements, including code and PowerPoint slides, are available for instructors. Assuming some prior financial education, this textbook is suited to upper-level undergraduate and postgraduate courses in quantitative finance, financial engineering, and derivatives.