Advances in computer and telecommunications technology have contributed to the emergence of more integrated global financial markets, allowing for the dissemination of information and the execution of transactions on a real-time basis around the clock and around the globe. To determine if an...

Measures of volatility implied in option prices are widely believed to be the best available volatility forecasts. According to the efficient market hypothesis, since implied volatilities are calculated based upon today's pricing information, they contain the best information about the market....

This study investigates the performance of Dividend Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) during both bull and bear markets. We compare their performance to a proxy for the U.S. market as measured by the S&P 500 ETF (IVV). Using data from Morningstar Direct we construct equally weighted portfolios of...

The use of commodities to hedge inflation risk and diversify portfolios is generally considered to be an important consideration for portfolio management. Direct investment in commodities or commodity derivatives requires that investors have significant assets and/or expertise in these...

We review the empirical results and some of the important explanations that have been advanced for the anomalous pricing of closed-end funds and conclude that none of the theories, either individually or collectively provide a sufficient explanation for the pricing of closed-end funds and thus...

This study investigates pricing efficiency in the yen-dollar currency swap dealer market. Swap mid-rate adjustments are examined to determine how prices adjust to changes in supply and demand. Bid-ask spreads are investigated to find evidence of term premiums. Swap rates are compared to yields...

A number of credit-scoring models that accurately classify consumer loan applications have been developed to aid traditional judgmental methods. This study compares the performance of multiple discriminant analysis and neural networks in identifying potential loan. While there is not a...

Using a translog cost function, we examine the extent to which economies of scale exist for retail superannuation funds in Australia for 1999 and 2000. We find that the average cost elasticity for Australian retail superannuation funds is equal to 1.0. This means that percentages cost increases...

The study of volatility spillovers provides useful insights into how information is transmitted from stock market to foreign exchange market and vice versa. This paper explores volatility spillovers between the Indian stock and foreign exchange markets. The results indicate that there exists a...

Investment returns on closed-end funds are highly volatile. Because expenses have a definite negative impact on closed-end fund returns, investors should include the expense ratio as a criterion for fund selection in addition to performance, investment objective, and risk of the fund. This paper...