The well-known weekend effect has been reversing in Major U.S. indices from late 1980s to late 1990s. The correlation between Monday and Friday returns also exhibited a declining trend, and fluctuated around zero in the 1990s. A power ratio method is developed to measure consistently the...

The level and direction of autocorrelation in house price movements differ across areas and change over time. This finding reconciles the conflicting reports in the literature. When quarterly house price indices exhibit negative autocorrelation, autocorrelation shows a positive connection to...

Dynamic correlation models demonstrate that the relationship between interest rates and housing prices is non-constant. Estimates reveal statistically significant time fluctuations in correlations between housing price indexes and Treasury bonds, the S&P 500 Index, and stock prices of...

I analyze the value of a nonstandard call option that allows the holder to purchase an underlying asset at a discount proportional to the asset's market price. Several applications for this type of option exist, including its use in employee compensation contracts. I derive the value of this...

The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks created a unique situation where patriotism became a significant motive for companies to make stock buyback announcements. Officials from the stock markets and the SEC encouraged stock repurchase announcements to help stabilize the markets. However, some...

The exchange-rate behavior of the Chinese yuan (RMB) and the Malaysian ringgit (MYR) indicates that the real exchange rate volatility of both the pegged currency/the anchor currency (the US dollar), and the pegged currency/the non-anchor currencies (Japanese yen and British pound) are lower...

We propose a program that would further promote housing privatization in China. In addition to operating its current Housing Savings Fund program, the government could guarantee loans, with payments capped at affordable levels or spread out over workable payment periods. Such a program would...

The Chinese government has embarked upon an effort to reduce the number of tenants living in publicly owned housing. This is a significant challenge for any government, but may be especially so for a country where private homeownership is a new option. Out of concern that many of its citizens...

This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of real estate-related taxes that might be imposed in mainland China, in light of the government’s needs for tax revenue and the economy’s need for incentives to develop land. Some policy recommendations are presented, based on an...

Returns of the same companies' common stocks, both non-market-adjusted and market-adjusted, exhibit greater volatility, on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong where short selling is allowed than on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and Shenzhen Stock Exchange where short selling is restrained. This unique...