Finance and Financial Management Commons^™

Digital India - A Model Developed By Varma, Vijaya Krushna Varma Mr

VIJAYA KRUSHNA VARMA Mr

Banking structure is redesigned to make India a fully digital nation and to usher in 100% E-governance

Sportsbook Pricing And The Behavioral Biases Of Bettors In The Nhl, Rodney Paul, Andrew Weinbach

Rodney J. Paul

The betting market for the NHL is investigated using actual betting percentages on favorites and underdogs from real sportsbooks. Sportsbooks do not appear to attempt to price to balance the book as betting percentages are not proportional to set odds. As in the NFL and NBA, bettors are shown to have a strong preference for favorites and road favorites in particular. Simple strategies of betting against significant imbalances toward the favorite are shown to generate positive returns. Although not pricing to balance the book, sportsbooks do not appear to price to exploit known bettor biases in all cases. Clear bettor …

Fundamental Investment Research – Do Us Results Apply To Australian Investors?, Bruce Vanstone, Tobias Hahn, Gavin Finnie

Bruce Vanstone

For many investors, the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009 has sparked renewed interest in value-based investment approaches. There is much published research supporting the use of fundamental analysis for value-based investment, and much of this research comes from the US. In previous articles, we have shown that US based fundamental investment research does not translate well to the Australian market. In this paper, we show how to test a well documented US fundamental investment strategy and find that it also does not transfer well to our Australian market.

Are Hot Markets Driven By Hot Resource Shares Or Hot Commodities?, Jo-Ann Suchard, Li-Anne Woo

Li-Anne Woo

Cycles in initial public offer (IPO) underpricing have been historically linked to both the proportion and pricing of resource-based IPOs issued relative to the entire population of IPOs. In addition, IPOs in the less diversified resource sector are exposed to changes in underlying commodity market prices which directly affect firm valuation. However, prior IPO research has largely ignored the various risk factors affecting resource firms. In this paper, we explicitly consider the explanatory power of 'traditional' IPO risk factors and augment these with specific risk characteristics associated with the resource sector, such as the underlying changes in resource commodity prices, …

Distribution Method Choice, Ian Sharpe, Li-Anne Woo

Li-Anne Woo

Using unique Australian data we examine the choice of issuance mechanism for unseasoned equity (between initial public offers and direct placements) prior to exchange listing. Controlling for liquidity in the decision to go public and incorporating interrelated decisions, we find that corporate control concerns and expected underpricing differences between initial public offers and direct placements play an important role. Also the probability of an initial public offer (direct placement) decreases (increases) with information asymmetry and the reputation of the issuer. Further, the choice of issuance mechanism and the underpricing, issue size and ownership retention decisions are interrelated.

Expert Recommendations In The ‘Dartboard’ Column, William Bertin, Laurie Prather

Laurie Prather

For many years the Wall Street Journal’s "Your Money Matters" column has conducted monthly stock selection contests where random "dartboard portfolios" have been pitted against professional stock analysts’ portfolios. In the professional portfolios, four stocks are selected by four experts, while the dart portfolios consists of four stocks randomly selected by Wall Street Journal staff members throwing darts onto a dartboard containing all stock listings from the NYSE, AMEX, and NASDAQ. In both portfolios each stock is given an equal weight of 25 percent. The returns for each stock are computed over a six-month holding period, and the portfolio returns …

A New Look At Mutual Fund Performance, Laurie Prather, William Bertin, Thomas Henker

Laurie Prather

This study goes beyond the scope of the typical analysis of mutual fund performance by considering a broader set of fund-specific factors uniquely categorized in terms of their impact on returns. Also unique to this study is a detailed exposition of the linkages between fund characteristics and performance. Traditional regression techniques explore these relationships in an attempt to predict fund performance, while the sample of funds examined is screened for survivor bias in a non-conventional fashion. The results suggest that our unique categories of fund popularity, agility, and growth, as well as the standard cost and managerial factors are relevant …

Intraday Reit Liquidity, William Bertin, Paul Kofman, David Michayluk, Laurie Prather

Laurie Prather

This study measures and analyzes the liquidity differences between Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and other common stocks. The intraday variations documented in this study have implications for the appropriate timing of trades to minimize transaction costs and the substitutability of investments if illiquidity is priced. The findings reveal intraday patterns indicating lower liquidity for REITs than for common stocks when the liquidity measure is friction-based. In contrast, activity measures exhibit higher liquidity levels for REITs than for common stocks but this difference is only statistically significant at the beginning of the trading day. The findings also indicate that the …

Mutual Fund Characteristics, Managerial Attributes, And Fund Performance, Laurie Prather, William Bertin, Thomas Henker

Laurie Prather

This study provides a comprehensive examination of recent mutual fund performance by analyzing a large set of both mutual funds and fund attributes in an effort to link performance to fund-specific characteristics. The results indicate that the hypothesized relationships between performance and the explanatory variables are generally upheld. After taking into consideration general market conditions and fund investment objective, the characteristic variables that relate to fund popularity, growth, cost, and management also explain performance. Finally, after controlling for survivorship and benchmark error as well as fund-specific factors, the results refute the performance persistence phenomenon.

The Intraday Price Behavior Of Australian Exchange Traded Options And Warrants, William Bertin, David Michayluk, Laurie Prather

Laurie Prather

This study focuses on the price discovery process in Australian option and warrant markets. Characterizing these two markets in terms of their cost structures and institutional features, we formally test competing price discovery hypotheses. The general findings indicate that the warrants market is the dominant market suggesting that their lower trading cost outweigh their less attractive institutional features. Additionally, we find that idiosyncratic differences among firms may result in a clientele effect thus providing justification for the coexistence of these seemingly redundant markets.

Updating Traditional Trade Direction Algorithms With Liquidity Motivation, William J. Bertin, David Michayluk, Laurie Prather

Laurie Prather

Trade-direction algorithms play an important role in traditional studies of market microstructure and in understanding the market for immediacy. This paper examines the underlying definition of trade origination and proposes a new liquidity motivation (LM) method to classify individual trades using orders. This LM model represents a unique alternative to the traditional algorithms used in most microstructure research. Using the NYSE TORQ database, LM trade classifications are compared with traditional methods for classifying trade direction. We document systematic biases resulting from the conventional algorithms and provide an alternative liquidity-based classification method that captures the actual behavior of market participants.

Decomposing The Bid-Ask Spread Of Stock Options: A Trade And Risk Indicator Model, David Michayluk, Laurie Prather, Li-Anne Woo, Henry Yip, William Bertin

Laurie Prather

This paper extends Huang and Stoll (1997) to develop a spread decomposition model that includes the costs of trading that are specific to the options market. The trade and risk indicator (TRIN) model includes separate inventory cost components that reflect the market maker’s delta, vega, and gamma risk. We find that adverse selection accounts for only 5.53% of option spread, is positively related to liquidity and leverage, and is higher given negative trade imbalances. Of the inventory risk, gamma risk is the largest component (7.01%), surpassing adverse selection risk, while vega risk accounts for 5.16% and delta risk is 4.12%.

Restructuring In Voluntary Administration - Evidence From Australian Listed Public Companies, James Routledge, David Gadenne

James Routledge

Introduction of the statutory voluntary administration (VA) process in mid 1993 represented a significant change to corporate insolvency law in Australia in providing greater opportunity for companies to attempt to resolve their financial distress. The final decision regarding the administration outcome is determined by company creditors, who can conclude the relatively short administration period by supporting a deed of company arrangement (DOCA) or have the company wound-up in a statutory liquidation. The focus of this paper is on the relationship between financial information available at the time a company enters VA and the VA outcome. In particular, we explore how …

The Company Dividend Restriction: Does It Promote Good Corporate Governance?, James Routledge, Peter Slade

James Routledge

This article considers aspects of the development of the law associated with the dividend payment restriction. The motivation for the article is to assess whether the existing substantive law is effective in promoting sound decision-making by corporate officers who are required to determine the timing and quantum of dividend payments. Our analysis suggests that the existing provision in s 254T of the Corporations Act 2001 is unlikely to have a significant positive effect on dividend decisions. This is due to its failure to provide meaningful guidance to decision-makers; its divergence from contemporary accounting practice; and its imposition of unnecessary complexity …

Assessing Solvency For Financially Distressed Companies, James Routledge, Ray Mcnamara

James Routledge

This article reviews past and recent authorities that have addressed the definition and application of the solvency test in s 95A of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth). The discussion highlights that, when faced with financial distress, company directors need to carefully consider the solvency implications of their decisions. To generate cash to pay debts as they become due, directors may attempt to realise company assets, obtain additional secured or unsecured debt finance or reorganise the timing of payments with creditors. The discussion of relevant cases shows that the solvency implications associated with realisation of assets, use of assets as security …

The Effect Of Changing Firm Characteristics On Capacity To Restructure, James Routledge, David Gadenne

James Routledge

This paper examines whether changes in financial characteristics over the time prior to a firm entering insolvency administration will affect its reorganisation prospects. Prior research shows that an insolvent firm’s ability to rectify the mismatch between currently available liquid assets and current financial obligations is critical to the reorganisation outcome. Accordingly, a multivariate analysis of financial characteristics which reflect the firm’s ability to address this mismatch is presented. The results show that changes in operating performance and liquidity prior to a firm entering insolvency administration have a bearing on administration outcomes.

The Decision To Enter Voluntary Administration: Timely Strategy Or Last Resort?, James Routledge

James Routledge

One of the options available to directors of financially distressed companies is to place their company into voluntary administration (VA). The decision to enter VA should enhance corporate governance because it allows for informed decision-making about a company's future, and ensures that administration of a company's affairs proceeds in an orderly manner. Once in VA, a company has a short 'breathing space' during which it can develop a strategy to address its insolvency. The strategic options available will be significantly affected by past performance and current financial position. If the company's position has deteriorated significantly, the VA process will merely …

Commodities During Jan 2008 Crisis, Yogendra Sisodia

Yogendra Sisodia

Commodities during Jan08 Crisis as alternate asset class.

MCX Comdex v/s CNX Nifty.

A Face Can Launch A Thousand Shares (And A 0.80% Abnormal Return), Matteo Arena, John S. Howe

Matteo P. Arena

In this paper we examine the market reaction—price and volume—to the appearance of a firm in the Who's News column of The Wall Street Journal. We differentiate between those firms whose articles are accompanied by a picture of an executive and a control set of firms whose articles on the same day are not accompanied by a picture. The results show a more pronounced market reaction to the “cum picture” articles, consistent with the incomplete information theory of Merton [1987] and the heuristic-based familiarity hypothesis. There is no evidence of significant long-run abnormal performance for the sample firms.

Transaction Sizes And Spreads: An Informational Approach, David Feldman, Thomas Henker, Robert Kohn, Yuewen Xiao

Thomas Henker

We introduce an informational approach (IA) for exploring association between variables, an alternative to the prevalent parametric, thus restrictive, regression analysis. The IA uses data to (non-parametrically) construct the joint distribution of variables. Then, it uses theory to develop restrictions on the joint distributions. These restrictions will typically be orderings of functions of conditional distributions induced by the joint distribution. Finally, it attempts refuting the restrictions. We implement IA examining the relation between trading sizes and spreads, a main concern. Following insights and results of Milgrom (1981), Feldman (2004), and Feldman and Winer (2004), we use NYSE data and kernel …

Restarting Securitization Markets: Policy Proposals And Pitfalls, John Kiff, Andy Jobst, Jodi Scarlata, Michael Kisser

John Kiff

This chapter tracks the rise and fall of securitization markets, and evaluates the various initiatives aimed at restarting them on a sounder footing, focusing on the markets for securities not backed by governments or government-sponsored enterprises. The analysis attempts to discern how securitization can positively contribute to financial stability and sustainable economic growth. While most of the current proposals are unambiguously positive for securitization markets and financial stability, some proposals—such as those designed to improve the alignment of securitizer and investor interests and accounting changes that will result in more securitized assets remaining on balance sheets—may be combined in ways …

Was Financial Market Contagion The Source Of Economic Crisis In Asia? Evidence Using A Multivariate Var Model, Ahmed Khalid, Masahiro Kawai

Ahmed Khalid

The episodes of financial crises in many parts of the world during the 1990s have sparked interest in identifying channels through which such crises spread from one country to another. Researchers have identified several factors that may have sparked and induced contagion. This study further extends the existing research by identifying and testing three financial market variables to trace the alleged origin and the subsequent path of the contagion during the 1997 Asian Crisis. Foreign exchange rates, stock market prices and interest rates are three main financial market indicators, representing the currency, stock and money markets, respectively. We use a …

The Chicken Or The Egg? The Trade-Off Between Bank Non Interest Income And Net Interest Margins, Barry Williams, Gulasekaran Rajaguru

Barry Williams

This study considers the time series relationship between bank non interest income and bank net interest margins in Australia using panel vector autoregressions. It is found that increases in bank non interest income are being used to supplement decreases in net interest margins, but that the magnitude of the increase in non interest income is smaller than the decrease in net interest margins. It is also found that increases in non interest income predate declines in margin income, suggesting that Australian banks were pro-active in the process of disintermediation. The agency risks of increased bank non interest income are explored …

The Italian Chamber Of Lords Sits On Listed Company Boards. An Empirical Analysis Of Italian Listed Company Boards From 1998 To 2006 - Presentation (Powerpoint Format), Paolo Santella, Carlo Drago, Andrea Polo

Paolo Santella

No abstract provided.

Liaisons Dangereuses: Increasing Connectivity, Risk Sharing, And Systemic Risk By Battiston, Delli Gatti, Gallegati, Greenwald And Stiglitz: Discussion, Carlo Drago

Carlo Drago

No abstract provided.

The Italian Chamber Of Lords Sits On Listed Company Boards. An Empirical Analysis Of Italian Listed Company Boards From 1998 To 2006 - Presentation (Powerpoint Format), Paolo Santella, Carlo Drago, Andrea Polo

Carlo Drago

No abstract provided.

Banking Expanded To The Ultimate Level, Vijaya Krushna Varma Mr

VIJAYA KRUSHNA VARMA Mr

Banking structure is redesigned to make India a fully digital nation and to usher in 100% e-governance. Banking is expanded to the ultimate level so that many State and Central Government departments can be integrated in the banking system to cut the present government size and non plan expenditure to 1/3 level. Purpose of this new banking structure --------- *To establish a bank branch at every village or colony having population of 2500. Each bank will handle approximately 2000 accounts *To make the banking as intermediary between the Government and people *To give every citizen above age of 15 years …

The Yuan Stops Here: Can Shanghai Overtake Hong Kong As China's Financial Center?, Jack Marr

Jack Marr

No abstract provided.

Financial Market Contagion: Evidence From The Asian Crisis Using A Multivariate Garch Approach, Ahmed M. Khalid, Gulasekaran Rajaguru

Gulasekaran Rajaguru

Recent trends of globalization and financial market internationalization have exposed the vulnerability of many emerging financial markets to external shocks and spillover effects from regional crisis. It is believed that similar spillover effects were the root cause of the 1997 financial crisis that faced many emerging economies in Asia. This study attempts to investigate the spillover effects of the 1997 Asian financial crisis using data from a sample of selected Asian countries. For empirical estimation, we use high frequency data (daily observations) on exchange rates from 1994 to 2002, construct a multivariate GARCH model and apply the Granger causality test …

The Global Impact Of The Russian Financial Crisis: Evidence Using Granger Causality And Impulse Reponses In A Var Model, Ahmed Khalid, Gulasekaran Rajaguru

Gulasekaran Rajaguru

This study attempts to investigate the financial market contagion in a global perspective. We use a large sample of 26 countries representing different regions in the world and focus on the spillover effects of the 1998 Russian crisis. We use daily observations on three financial market indicators namely, the exchange rates, stock prices and interest rates. We construct a VAR to test the interlinkages among different market and different regions using the Granger causalfiy. Later, we perform impulse response analysis by introducing a shock in each of the Russian market and observe the impact and duration of this shock on …