This paper studies the impact of changes in the dynamics ofthe correlation coefficients between asset returns on portfolio choices. Using weekly data from February 2002 to October 2011 on four different European asset classes, we obtain three main results. Firstly, we show that the 2007-2009...

The goal of this paper is to present an original and simple analysis aimed to understand why investing in capital markets can be very dangerous for “naive investors”. Stock markets are characterized by instability and subjected to external shocks. The probability of making money on them is...

According to current regulation, European banks can apply zero risk weights to sovereign exposures in their balance sheet, irrespective of the assigned rating. We show that a zero risk weighting of sovereign bonds has implications by distorting banks' asset allocation decisions. Due to the lower...

This paper investigates the impact of liquidity on emerging markets' stock prices. Particular attention is given to the estimation of Jensen's alpha and the quantity of risk. Our empirical analysis gives rise to two main issues. The first is related to the presence of an extra premium, i.e....

The analysis of the Equity Risk Premium (ERP) and the research efforts aimed at solving the Equity Premium Puzzle (Mehra and Prescott 1985), are still widely discussed in the economic and financial literature. The purpose of this paper is to show that differences in the ERP between developed and...

Standard consumption-based models typically fail in pricing asset returns. In a famous seminal paper, Mehra and Prescott (1985), using a standard consumption model, prove the presence of a puzzle (i.e. equity premium puzzle). The recent financial literature still has to provide a convincing...

The understanding of the Equity Risk Premium (ERP) and the Equity Premium Puzzle (Mehra and Prescott 1985), is still widely discussed in the economic and financial literature. The purpose of this paper is to show differences in the ERP between developed and emerging markets. Using data from both...