Ordered logit models are used to predict financial literacy on the basis of individual demographic, socioeconomic and financial characteristics. The data is drawn from the 2003 ANZ Survey of Adult Financial Literacy in Australia and relates to 3,548 respondents. Financial literacy is defined,...

This paper is concerned with the relationship between the adoption rate of Internet banking and electronic connectivity. Electronic connectivity is measured using three components: personal computer connectivity, Internet connectivity and mobile phone connectivity. Regression is used to analyse...

Standard asset pricing models ignore idiosyncratic risk. In this study we examine if stock idiosyncratic or unique risk affects returns for New Zealand stocks using the factor portfolio mimicking approach of Fama and French (1993, 1996). We find evidence of a negative relationship between firm...

In this trading strategy study, we ask three questions. First, does momentum exist in foreign exchange markets? Second, what is the impact of transactions costs on excess returns? And, third, can a consolidated trading signal garner excess returns and, if so, what is the source of such returns?...

Malkiel and Xu (1997) state that idiosyncratic volatility is highly correlated with size and that it plays a powerful role in explaining expected returns. In this paper we ask (a) whether idiosyncratic volatility is useful in explaining the variation in expected returns; and, (b) whether our...

In this paper we compare the performance of the traditional CAPM with the multifactor model of Fama and French (1996) for equities listed in the Shanghai Stock Exchange. We also investigate the explanatory power of idiosyncratic volatility and respond to the claim that multifactor model findings...

This paper uses a large Australian multinational corporation as a case study examining foreign exchange operating exposure. We firstly review the importance of operating exposure for a business and then examine in detail the company’s exposure and policies to manage the exposure. A sensitivity...

Standard asset pricing models ignore the costs of liquidity. In this study we advance the ongoing debate on empirical asset pricing and test if liquidity costs (as proxied by turnover rate, turnover ratio and bid-ask spread) affect stock returns for Australian stocks. Our tests use the factor...

This paper investigates whether job offers arrive more frequently for those in employment than for those in unemployment. To this end, we take advantage of a unique Australian data set which contains information on both accepted and rejected job offers. Our estimation strategy takes account of...

Old elites can block changes, but not all do. Why is it that stronger elites may allow more changes than weaker elites? Why do economies with larger stocks of natural resources not grow faster than economies poorer in natural resources? We argue that old elites hold some power to extract rents...