In this paper we use Spanish stock market data to identify the bull and bear phases of the market and to analyze its characteristics during the period 1941-2002. We compare these characteristics with those of the US and of two other European countries (Germany and the UK). Our sample is divided...

In this paper we review the factors that may lead to structural changes in stock market volatility and present an analysis that assesses whether Spanish stock market volatility has changed significantly over the period 1941-2001. This period corresponds to the years of more profound development...