This is the second in a series of articles that examines the practical applications of economic thought. Its focus is on the most fundamental aspects of finance theory, namely asset pricing. We discuss the major pricing models developed during the past five decades and critically examine their...

In this essay we model the returns for 14 large Swedish firms' stocks with a conditional multifactor model with time-varying beta terms. The data are monthly and the sample period is June 1992 to August 1997. The beta terms are modelled as linear functions of predetermined firm attributes, which...

Observed by more than 1.5 billion Muslims, Ramadan is one of the most celebrated religious rituals in the world. We investigate stock returns during Ramadan for 14 predominantly Muslim countries over the years 1989-2007. The results show that stock returns during Ramadan are almost nine times...

We uncover a large and significant low-minus-high rank effect for commodities across two centuries. There is nothing anomalous about this anomaly, nor is it clear how it can be arbitraged away. Using nonparametric econometric methods, we demonstrate that such a rank effect is a necessary...

Auf Anleihemärkten versuchen Investoren mit aktiven Handelsstrategien eine über der risikoadäquaten Marktverzinsung liegende Rendite zu erwirtschaften. Dabei kommen prognoseorientierte Strategien wie auch Anlagepolitiken zur Verwendung, die zeitweilige Marktungleichgewichte zu nutzen...

We characterize the price-transparency role of benchmarks in over-the-counter markets. A benchmark can, under conditions, raise social surplus by increasing the volume of beneficial trade, facilitating more efficient matching between dealers and customers, and reducing search costs. Although the...

How do market prices adjust towards stability after a shock? Tracking individual stock prices following their dramatic shakeup after Donald Trump's surprise election provides an answer. Prices moved overwhelmingly in the appropriate direction on the first post-election day, albeit much too...

We examine the network of trading relations between insurers and dealers in the over-the-counter corporate bond market. Comprehensive regulatory data shows that many insurers use only one dealer while the largest insurers have networks of up to forty dealers. Large insurers receive better prices...

On October 26, 2008, Porsche announced a largely unexpected domination plan for Volkswagen. The resulting short squeeze in Volkswagen's stock briefly made it the most valuable listed company in the world. We argue that this was a manipulation designed to save Porsche from insolvency and the...

The investment CAPM provides an economic foundation for Graham and Dodd's (1934) Security Analysis, without mispricing. Expected returns vary cross-sectionally, depending on firms' investment, expected profitability, and expected investment growth. Our economic model also offers an appealing...