The objectives of this paper are: (1) to analyze an optimal portfolio rebalancing by a fund manager in response to a "volatility shock" in one of the asset markets, under sufficiently realistic assumptions about the fund manager's performance criteria and investment restrictions; and (2) to...

Although traditional immunization offers protection against parallel movements of theterm structure of interest rates (TSIR) exclusively, numerous studies have shown that thisstrategy offers near perfect immunization at an empirical level. This work reveals some of thefactors that justify this...

Recent studies find a positive correlation between default and loss given default rates of credit portfolios. In response, financial regulators require financial institutions to base their capital on the 'Downturn' loss rate given default which is also known as Downturn LGD. This article...

Do the dynamics of net flows to U.S. retail mutual funds affect equity returns in emerging markets? The question merits further examination since retail investors in mutual funds can exert a much greater degree of "control" over these funds via cash injections or redemptions at any time. A VAR...

One plausible mechanism through which financial market shocks may propagate across countries is through the effect of past gains and losses on investors' risk aversion. We first present a simple model on how heterogeneous changes in investors' risk aversion affect portfolio decisions and stock...

Long Term Fixed Income Market securities present a strong positive correlation in daily returns. By using a metrical approach and considering "modified" time series, I show how it is possible to show a more complex structure which depends strictly on the maturity date.

This paper uncovers an implicit assumption, and its implications, made in the process of maximizing yield (or minimizing costs) subject to the duration constraints. Using linear programming results, it is shown that this technique is sensible only if the yield of a bond is a linear function of...

We present a quantitative study of the evolution of markets and models during the recent crisis. In particular, we focus on the fixed income market and we analyze the most relevant empirical evidence regarding the divergence between Libor and OIS rates, the explosion of basis swaps spreads, and...

The question of whether foreign investments should be systematically hedged against currency risk has not been clearly answered to date. Numerous theoretical and empirical studies have provided contradictory conclusions. This paper examines to what extent foreign bonds and equities are exposed...