This paper develops a model of exchange rate dynamics that takes into account speculative positions in foreign and domestic equities in addition to the "standard" positions in short-term riskless deposits. The modeling of cross-country stock holdings is motivated by evidence that a large and...

This paper investigates the contagion effects of the global financial crisis (GFC) and Eurozone sovereign debt crisis (ESDC) on Islamic equity and bond markets. Using a sample of Islamic stock indices from various developed and emerging markets and the global Islamic stock and bond (sukuk)...

Studying all possible pairs of eleven major currencies and eleven portfolios in 1976-2008 we show that, when there is no leverage, carry trade is significantly profitable for most currency pairs and portfolios. Positive returns do not diminish in time providing a strong case against the...

Using data for the 1978-2008 period, this study presents evidence for cointegration between securitized (NAREIT) and direct (NCREIF) total return indices. Cointegration between the indices indicates that REITs and direct real estate are substitutable in the portfolio of a long-horizon...

Market liquidity is complex to measure empirically. This explains why there is no consensus about performance ratios adjusted to its risk. We summarize market liquidity by two major characteristics: a costly one because of the loss of illiquidity premium; and a profitable one when investors can...

Samuelson (1967) argues that as a general matter it is easy to show that investors should be maximally diversified. For this reason many institutions are attracted to diversified portfolios of hedge funds, referred to as Funds of Hedge Funds (FOFs). In this paper we examine a new database that...

This paper examines the dynamic relationship between global factors and herding behavior in the oil-rich frontier stock markets of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), using a time-varying transition probability Markov Switching model (TVTP-MS). Our results suggest that the GCC frontier stock...

This paper investigates dynamic currency hedging benefits, with a further focus on the impact of currency hedging before and during the recent financial crises originated from the subprime and the Euro sovereign bonds. We take the point of view of a Euro-based institutional investor who...

Crude oil and precious metals, silver and especially gold, prices have been more volatile in the recent years. Investors and speculators such as investment banks, hedge funds, mutual funds, etc. pay close attention to the price and volatility of these commodities. The daily returns of Brent,...