New and future research in corporate finance and governance in China and emerging markets

This paper briefly surveys the literature on finance, growth, and policy in China and emerging markets. We introduce the papers that comprise this special issue of Emerging Markets Review. The papers comprise themes in corporate social responsibility, innovation, insider trading, financial reporting behaviours, and financial openness. Also, we discuss research trends and offer suggestions for future research on corporate governance and finance in China and emerging markets.     

Systematic risk in emerging markets: the D-CAPM

There is by now a growing literature arguing against the use of the CAPM to estimate required returns on equity in emerging markets (EMs). One of the characteristics of this model is that it measures risk by beta, which follows from an equilibrium in which investors display mean–variance behavior. In that framework, risk is assessed by the variance of returns, a questionable and restrictive measure of risk. The semivariance of returns is a more plausible measure of risk and can be used to generate an alternative behavioral hypothesis (mean–semivariance behavior), an alternative measure of risk for diversified investors (the downside beta), and an alternative pricing model (the downside CAPM, or D-CAPM for short). The empirical evidence discussed below for the entire Morgan Stanley Capital Indices database of EMs clearly supports the downside beta and the D-CAPM over beta and the CAPM.     

Corporate governance in emerging markets: A selective review and an agenda for future research

In this paper, we show how corporate governance reforms and research have been mutually reinforcing in emerging markets and propose a research agenda going forward. Acknowledging the by now broad recognition of corporate governance as a key development driver, we show how work on corporate governance in emerging markets has led research globally by focusing on the deep issues of ownership structures, property rights and organisational forms. Using the papers presented at the latest international conference of the Emerging Markets Corporate Governance Research Network, we illustrate how analyses of board structures, specifically gender diversity, has contributed to understanding of board dynamics and informed corporate governance reforms. Considering ongoing economic and socio-political trends, we conclude with a general research agenda for corporate governance in emerging markets.     

Smuggling in emerging markets: Global implications

Economists and policymakers have lauded the adoption of liberal trade policies in many of the emerging markets. From the outside it may appear that governments in these countries have cemented a new set of rules governing economic behavior within their borders. Yet the authors have found that these countries are likely to see the emergence or resurgence of smuggling and contraband distribution in response to trade liberalization. In order to survive under trade liberalization, smugglers will rely on cost savings associated with the circumventing of legal import channels. In addition they may employ violence to bolster a diminished competitive advantage and may seek new illegal sources, both local and international, for the consumer products they distribute. In a market environment in which organized crime competes alongside more legitimate channels of distribution, U.S. multinationals will face new challenges relating to strategic planning, maintaining alliance relationships and corporate control of global brands and pricing.     

Research note: Synergies between export channels in mature and emerging markets

This study identifies and assesses synergies between export channels in emerging and mature markets. The results indicate that exporters' performance determinants in emerging markets are different from those in mature markets. Exporters transfer funds between export channels. Experienced exporters' channels in fast‐growing emerging markets and their channels in mature markets where they have developed product or brand advantages require heavy funding. Other channels will be used as the fund sources to support and control these export channels. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Research note: Sales force opportunism in emerging markets: An exploratory investigation

Do overseas‐based sales forces commit opportunism? Answer to the question is critical for exporting manufacturers who are considering setting up sales offices in emerging markets. This inductive study of 15 British manufacturers in China led to propositions exploring the question. It specifies various contexts in which sales force employees in emerging markets may commit opportunistic behaviors. In those contexts, sales offices in emerging markets may not necessarily combat channel opportunism or save monitoring costs. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Syndicated loans in emerging markets

There has been a considerable expansion of the volume of syndicated loans in emerging markets in the recent years. We provide the first analysis of the determinants of the decision of banks to syndicate a loan on a sample of loan facilities from 50 emerging countries. We show the significant role of loan characteristics and of financial development, banking regulation, and legal institutions, in the decision to syndicate a loan. We support the efforts of authorities to increase banking competition and efficiency, and to implement binding banking regulation on capital requirement to promote the expansion of syndicated loans.     

Public market finance for growth‐stage companies in emerging markets: The U.S. alternative IPO moves to fill the gap

Lacking from the options currently available to most growth‐stage companies located in the emerging markets of the world is effective access to public finance. Unlike the United States, these companies are shut off from access to their local public markets. Fortunately a solution exists in the form of an alternative initial public offering (AIPO) onto the over‐the‐counter bulletin board market of the United States (OTC BB). As the name implies, an AIPO is an alternative form of listing that allows companies in emerging markets to gain access to the deepest and most liquid capital market in the world. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Clustering in emerging equity markets

We consider pairwise tail behavior of return series for identifying the most important emerging markets clusters. Pairs of markets belonging to the same group present similar type and strength of interdependence during stressful times, represented by a common copula and a statistically equivalent measure of tail dependence. By collapsing data from d markets in to a group we overcome the difficult problem of finding their (higher dimensional) d-variate distribution. Results may help portfolio managers to deal with risk due to co-movements within clusters. We provide examples on how this can be done. Our study contributes to the discussion about the international association among stock markets during turbulent periods, and does not confirm the intuition that the observed association between extremes should be credited to linkages to leading markets. The study also confirms the importance of stock selection, particularly among the non-dominant stocks, instead of holding market-value weighed portfolios of stocks from countries within the same region.     

Corporate governance in emerging markets: A survey

This paper reviews recent research on corporate governance, with a special focus on emerging markets. It finds that better corporate governance benefit firms through greater access to financing, lower cost of capital, better performance, and more favorable treatment of all stakeholders. Numerous studies show these channels to operate at the level of firms, sectors and countries—with causality increasingly often clearly identified. Evidence also shows that voluntary and market corporate governance mechanisms have less effect when a country's governance system is weak. Importantly, how corporate governance regimes change over time and how this impacts firms are receiving more attention recently. Less evidence is available on the direct links between corporate governance and social and environmental performance. The paper concludes by identifying issues requiring further study, including the special corporate governance issues of banks, and family-owned and state-owned firms, and the nature and determinants of public and private enforcement.     

Individual responses to competing institutional logics in emerging markets

In this paper, we study individual responses to competing institutional market and community logics. We argue that when individuals experience strong pressures both from market and community logics in hybrid contexts, they are unlikely to choose one logic over another. Instead, they combine both logics act as hybridizers. We identified three roles of local (Kazakhstani and Turkish) managers as hybridizers: bridging between competing logics, boundary spanning and cultural buffering.     

Managing FDI technology spillovers: A challenge to TNCs in emerging markets

Prior studies on foreign direct investment (FDI) technology spillovers have offered little guidance to transnational corporations (TNCs) on how to protect and exploit technology across borders. The present paper argues that TNCs can manage technology spillovers through selection of entry modes, selection of technologies, and selection of investment priorities in the affiliates they establish in foreign markets. A number of hypotheses are derived from theoretical analyses and are tested against firm-level data from China. The findings of the paper have significant implications for TNCs that face fierce competition from local firms in emerging markets.     

Limits to arbitrage and the MAX anomaly in advanced emerging markets

Evidence of a negative relationship between extreme positive returns and future returns has been reported in developed markets (Bali, Cakici, & Whitelaw, 2011; Zhong & Gray, 2016). This study examines this “MAX anomaly” across advanced emerging markets, which are characterised by a higher level of limits to arbitrage compared with developed markets, but lower financial frictions than their secondary emerging counterparts. The MAX anomaly is shown to be larger in magnitude in advanced emerging markets compared with developed markets. Our results support the proposition that the MAX anomaly is a pervasive anomaly that is related to mispricing.     

Trading activity in stock index futures markets: The evidence of emerging markets

This study investigates the trading activity of the Taiwan Futures Exchange (TAIFEX) and Singapore Exchange Derivatives Trading Limited (SGX‐DT) Taiwan Stock Index Futures markets by analyzing the intraday patterns of volume and volatility. In addition, the market closure theory, which may explain such patterns, is examined. Overall, the trading pattern appears to be U‐shaped for the TAIFEX futures and U+W‐shaped for the SGX‐DT. For the SGX‐DT futures, volatility follows the same pattern as that of the number of price changes. For the TAIFEX futures, however, after the peak at the close of the spot market, the volatility in the TAIFEX futures drops consistently until the end of the day while volatility in the SGX‐DT still reaches a smaller peak at the close of the futures market. In addition, a visual inspection of the intraday patterns of these two markets shows that the market closure theory can effectively explain the intraday patterns of these two markets. The empirical results support the market closure theory in that liquidity demand from traders rebalancing their portfolios before and after market closures creates larger volume and volatility at both the open and close. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 22:983–1003, 2002     

当前钢材市场形势分析及后市展望

一、上半年钢材市场形势分析 1.市场价格大幅度回升今年上半年的钢材市场形势比原来预计的好,尤其是进入二季度以后,钢材市场出现了四个“意想不到”:一是美国一季度经济增长强劲,带动了全球需求及进出口贸易,超出了多数人的早先预计。二是美国“201”条款的启动,以及在全球范围内掀起的贸易保护主义,尽管破坏了市场秩序,但它却使得各国提高进口关税,客观上促进了国际钢材价格的低谷回升。国际市场上,冷、热轧薄板FOB价格比年初上升     

The volatility effect in emerging markets

We examine the empirical relation between risk and return in emerging equity markets and find that this relation is flat, or even negative. This is inconsistent with theoretical models such as the CAPM, which predict a positive relation, but consistent with the results of studies for developed equity markets. The volatility effect appears to be growing stronger over time, which we argue might be related to the increased delegated portfolio management in emerging markets. Finally, we find that the volatility effect in emerging markets is only weakly related to that in developed equity markets, which argues against a common-factor explanation.     

Investing in Asia's emerging equity markets

Asian equity markets have been hot for some time and they show no dramatic signs of cooling. The economies of the region have moved towards greater economic and financial integration while opening their capital markets to foreigners. Attracted by strong economies, credible reforms and further intentions of liberalization, global investors have made significant investments. However, the stability promised by a financially strong Japan is diminishing, and the region as a whole faces a variety of political and financial challenges.     

Private equity exits in emerging markets

Using deal level data from 2733 private equity (PE) deals from 35 emerging markets, we find that PE fund managers have a higher probability of successful exits in countries with better business and legal environments. We also find that they are able to mitigate the potential costs associated with inefficient and corrupt business environments to increase the probability of exits by IPOs in countries with higher levels of corruption. Moreover, we find that market shocks in the developed markets result in a negative ripple effect as the probability of successful exits, especially by way of IPOs, decreases in emerging markets.     

Currency risk in emerging equity markets

The paper develops an international capital asset-pricing model (ICAPM), which includes foreign currency risk, and examines the impact of capital market liberalisation on the pricing of risks. It applies the model to data from Pacific Basin financial markets and finds substantial evidence that not only currency risk is priced in both pre- and post-liberalisation periods, but the model is superior to one which does not include currency risk. This evidence suggests that an international capital asset-pricing model, which omits currency risk, will be misspecified. Furthermore, the results imply that since currency risk is priced and investors are compensated for bearing such risk they should not be discouraged by more flexible exchange rate regimes from investing in emerging markets.     

Board generational diversity in emerging markets

To identify the determinants of the generational diversity of board membership in emerging market firms, we conducted an empirical analysis using state-level social inequality indices and data on 14,598 listed/unlisted firms from 20 Eastern European countries and China. We found that, in these emerging markets, social inequality strongly inhibits the generational diversity of board membership, regardless of the gender of board members. The results also reveal that four firm attributes—board size, CEO duality, state ownership, and the presence of foreign investors from non-advanced economies as firm owners—significantly affect the age composition of board directors in line with our expectations. Two other firm attributes—ownership concentration and firm ownership by foreign investors from advanced economies—are also found to have a significant impact on board generational diversity; however, the direction of their impact contradicts our predictions. Supplementary estimations carried out by introducing various sample restrictions produce similar results, thus confirming the statistical robustness of our findings.