Researchers often assume that stock market indices are the best possible yardstick in terms of market efficiency. The paper investigates this concept using data from the Malta Stock Exchange (MSE). The fact that a significant number of MSE shares do not trade everyday, may imply that the most...

The paper discusses the possible effects of short sales on the operation of a very small stock market such as the Maltese one. After studying the basic mechanics of short selling procedures, the paper reviews the salient literature with particular reference to how short sales may enhance...

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate whether call auctions which batch orders for simultaneous execution, may restrain stock market volatility. Design/methodology/approach -The authors use high-frequency data to investigate volatility changes following the suspension...

The paper consolidates the summarised financial statements of the main banks operating in Malta during the year 2002, to form a Typical Large Bank and a Typical Small Bank. The rofitability, risk and growth prospects of the two institutions are analysed through Return on Equity decomposition and...

This study discusses the strategic priorities and challenges for securities exchanges in new EU member states, with a special reference to the internationalisation of securities markets. The ways in which exchanges are responding to such challenges and other possible courses of action are...

Stock market data tends to display distinct characteristics commonly known as “stylized facts”. These include non-stationarity of price levels, as well as peak-shaped, fat-tailed and heteroskedastic log returns. This paper presents empirical evidence of these characteristics for emerging...

This paper investigates the diversification prospects which may be reaped when investing in a mixture of emerging and developed market assets. Given that emerging markets are somewhat distinct from developed ones, one may expect significant diversification potential and therefore risk reduction....

This paper focuses on customers’ perceptions regarding two key aspects in Maltese retail finance: service quality and internet banking. The importance of these topics is likely to keep on growing in the near future, as clients become more demanding and financially-literate. We use various...

This paper looks at productivity growth rates in Malta and Cyprus and proposes policies as to how these island states countries might augment their productivity and competitiveness. We identify three possible growth strategies for the islands: an Innovation-Oriented Economy, a Controlled...

This study applies different statistical tests to investigate whether monthly volatility patterns prevailing on a cross section of stock markets are present on the Malta Stock Exchange. A January effect is detected, together with a variant of the Turn-Of-The-Month effect, in that volatility...