Outlines previous research on the effects of bond rating changes on the share prices of US banks, noting opposing views on whether they contain new information. Examines revisions in analysts’ earnings forecasts for downgraded and non‐downgraded banks (separating regional banks from large...

Outlines the US development of the “too‐big‐to‐fail” (TBTF) doctrine following the collapse of the Continental Illinois Bank, reviews relevant research and explores the impact on the efficiency of the banking system. Uses 1983‐1985 call report data, explains the methodology and...

Reviews the literature on economies of scale and scope in savings and loan institutions and uses 1980‐1987 US data to explore the cost effects of simultaneous production of outputs (mortgage loans, other loans and deposits), the impact of size and product‐specific economies of scale....

Refers to previous research on the effects of poor external audits on agency costs to shareholders and takes the 1991 disciplinary action by the US Securities and Exchange Commission against Ernst and Young (re the Republic Bank) as an example to examine the effect on its other audit clients and...

Outlines the development of risk management products, reviews relevant research and identifies reasons for their rapid growth. Reports a study of US public issues of securities from 1962 to 1998 which examines the introduction and longevity of various types; and analyses the issuers and leading...

Reviews previous research on contrarian investment strategy (i.e. buying “losers” and selling “winners”) and analyses the results of applying the strategy to US stocks 1928‐1992. Explains the methodology and presents the results, which show no statistically significant holding period...

Reviews the previous research on the management of portfolio investment and compares the performance of a typical small investor’s portfolio of nine popular stocks (optimized portfolio) with a value‐weighted portfolio (VW), using 1992‐1997 US data. Explains how the portfolios were derived...

Briefly reviews previous research on the value of investment advisors’ recommendations and presents a study comparing portfolio returns from analysts’ recommendations in the Wall Street Journal’s “Dartboard” contest 1990‐1996, four randomly selected shares and the Dow Jones...