In intertemporal asset pricing models, transaction costs are usually neglected. In this paper we explicitly incorporate transaction costs in these models and analyze to what extent this extension is helpful in explaining the cross-section of expected returns. An empirical analysis using CRSP...

In this paper, we analyze the economic value of predicting stock index returns as well as volatility. On the basis of simple linear models, estimated recursively, we produce out-of-sample forecasts for the return on the S&P 500 index and its volatility. Using monthly data, we examine the...

In this paper we formulate two tractable two-factor affine term structure models, imposing weak assumptions on the distributions of the measurement errors involved in the different yields. Exploiting the implied moment conditions, the models are estimated by the generalized method of moments...

Poor performing mutual funds are less likely to be observed in the data sets that are typically available. This so-called survivor problem can induce a substantial bias in measures of the performance of the funds and the persistence of this performance. Many studies have recently argued that...

We investigate two alternative explanations why men may hold more stocks than women do. Apart from the traditional explanation of a gender difference in risk aversion, gender differences in either optimism or in perceived risk of financial markets might cause men to hold riskier assets. Our...

In this paper we analyze the persistence of US REITs over the period 1990-2005. By employing a novel methodological approach we shed new light on whether investors can pick winners by simply looking at past performance. The private real estate industry is notorious for its lack of informational...

This paper studies whether time series predictability is consistent with risk-based asset pricing models. Whereas earlier papers - e.g. Kirby (1998), Cecchetti, et al. (2000) and Avramov (2004) - show that returns are too predictable to be explained by rational asset pricing, we find that the...