Notes increasing US support for the BTID insurance strategy, i.e. buy low cost term life insurance and invest the difference between the cost of this and of whole life insurance. Points out some other investment possibilities and compares the terminal and interim wealth accumulation potential of...

Outlines some research on the effects of risk on portfolios for retirement planning and puts forward a method to help individuals “increase their chances of not outliving their retirement portfolios”. Uses numerical examples to show how calculations of the savings needed to achieve specific...

Explains the difference between defined benefit (DB) and defined contribution (DC) pension plans in the US context and the options open to companies wishing to terminate overfunded DB plans. Summarizes previous research on stock market reaction to terminations and uses event study methodology on...

Outlines Heath, Jarrow and Morton’s (1992) method (MJM) for modelling interest rates and refers to other research showing that although it is generally non‐Markov, this can be modified if the volatility structure depends on relative maturity term rather than calendar maturity date. Develops...

Outlines previous research relevant to the risks involved in residential mortgages and suggests some reasons for the gap between theory and market practice. Develops a model which adds household income, ability to pay problems and mortgage underwriting constraints to the standard pricing models,...

Outlines increased interest from investors in corporate social policies over the last ten years and previous research comparing the investment performance of “socially responsible” (SR) portfolios with others. Measures performance for a US sample of SR and conventional mutual funds using a...

Outlines previous research on the effects of insider trading on share prices and reactions to the tightening up of US laws against illegal trading. Calculates returns for a sample of large managerial purchases made after the new legislation (1993‐1995) and announced in the Wall Street Journal...

Outlines previous research on four explanations for and various factors influencing dividend policy; and reports a survey of senior managers in US listed companies to determine their views. Finds strong support for the signalling explanation and some support for the bird‐in‐hand,...

Outlines previous research on the relationship between dividend policy and stock returns; and uses a linear programme and multi‐index model to form an investment strategy to see whether dividend yields increase stock returns. Explains the methodology, tests it on 1965‐1989 US data and...

Summarizes the main hypotheses used in previous research on dividend policy and reports a study of patterns in dividend payouts/growth using neural networks as a data mining technique. Discusses the properties of neural networks, recognizes that they are unsuitable for hypothesis testing and...