Fallout from the Mutual Fund Trading Scandal

In September 2003, several prominent mutual fund companies came under investigation for illegal trading practices. Allegations suggested these funds allowed certain investors to profit from short-term trading schemes at the expense of other investors. Surprisingly, regulatory authorities have known for more than two decades of the potential for such abuses, yet have taken limited steps to correct the problem. We explore investor reaction to the scandal by measuring assets under management, stock returns, and performance. Mutual funds managed by investigated firms show a substantial decline in post-announcement assets under management. These firms also experienced significantly negative announcement-period returns. Finally, we discuss several policy suggestions to prevent future trading abuses and provide direction for future research.     

The Use and Abuse of Mutual Fund Expenses

Prior research shows that mutual fund investors are often aware of up-front charges like sales loads, but they are less mindful of annual operating expenses, even though both types of fees lower overall performance. This study documents the historical trend and recent abuse of annual mutual fund expenses. As the industry becomes more adept at segmenting customers by level of investment sophistication, we claim that load mutual fund companies take advantage of this ability and charge higher expenses to their target customer: the less-knowledgeable investor. No-load fund companies, which tend to attract the more sophisticated investor, offer lower expenses. For example, over 2000–2004 the average annual expense ratio of load equity funds was 50 basis points higher than no-load equity funds. We show evidence of this widening cost disparity since the early 1990s among new and existing equity, bond, and index funds. We also document a growing abuse of sales distribution or 12b-1 fees among funds that are closed to new investors, almost all of which are load funds. Thus, load fund investors are more susceptible to paying higher expenses and receiving lower returns over time. Todd Houge is an Assistant Professor of Finance at the University of Iowa. Jay Wellman is an Assistant Professor of Finance at Binghamton University.     

The Ethical Mutual Fund Performance Debate: New Evidence from Canada

Although the academic interest in ethical mutual fund performance has developed steadily, the evidence to date is mainly sample-specific. To tackle this critique, new research should extend to unexplored countries. Using this as a motivation, we examine the performance and risk sensitivities of Canadian ethical mutual funds vis-à-vis their conventional peers. In order to overcome the methodological deficiencies most prior papers suffered from, we use performance measurement approaches in the spirit of Carhart (1997, Journal of Finance 52(1): 57–82) and Ferson and Schadt (1996, Journal of Finance 51(2): 425–461). In doing so, we investigate the aggregated performance and investment style of ethical and conventional mutual funds and allow for time variation in the funds’ systematic risk. Our␣Canadian evidence supports the conjecture that any␣performance differential between ethical mutual funds and their conventional peers is statistically insignificant.      

Myopic Loss Aversion in Brazilian Open Retirement Funds

ABSTRACT

This paper analyzes the relationship between withdrawals from Brazilian open retirement funds, portfolio composition (fixed income or equity) and frequency of statement sending (monthly, quarterly, semiannually or annually). Our results indicate that equity retirement plans present a lower withdrawal index when compared to that of fixed income plans. Furthermore, the higher the statement sending frequency, the lower the withdrawals from open retirement plans. However, withdrawals from equity retirement plans tend to increase when statements are sent to investors more frequently. These phenomena can be explained by behaviorist theories, such as the concept of myopic loss aversion. In a context where loss aversion is present, the more frequently the investor evaluates his or her portfolio, or the shorter the investment horizon, the less attractive he or she will find investment in assets with a high rate of return and risk, such as equities. This behavior occurs not only regarding short-term investments, but also traditional long-term assets such as equity retirement plans.

RESUMEN. Este estudio analiza la relación existente entre las retiradas de los fondos abiertos de jubilación brasileños, la composición de la cartera (ingreso fijo o patrimonio), y la frecuencia del envío de estados financieros (mensual, trimestral, semestral o anualmente). Nuestros resultados indican que los planes de jubilación patrimonial tienen un índice de retirada menor, en comparación con los planes de ingreso fijo. Además, cuanto mayor la frecuencia de los estados financieros, menor es la retirada de los planes abiertos de jubilación. Sin embargo, las retiradas de los planes de jubilación patrimoniales tienden a aumentar cuando los estados se envían a los inversores con más frecuencia. Este fenómeno puede explicarse con las teorías comportamentales, tales como el concepto de la aversión miope a la pérdida. En un contexto donde la aversión a la pérdida es una realidad, cuanto mayor la frecuencia con que el inversor pueda evaluar su carera, o menor el horizonte de inversión, menos atractivas considerará él las inversiones en activos con un alto retorno y riesgo, tal como las acciones. Este comportamiento ocurre no sólo en las inversiones a corto plazo, sino también en los activos a largo plazo, como los planes de jubilación patrimoniales.

RESUMO. Este artigo analisa a relação entre as retiradas dos fundos abertos de aposentadoria brasileiros, a composição da carteira (renda fixa ou ações) e a freqüência da remessa de extratos (mensal, trimestral ou semestral). Nossos resultados indicam que os planos de aposentadoria que aplicam em ações apresentam um índice de retirada menor em comparação com os planos de renda fixa. Além disso, quanto maior a freqüência de remessa de extratos, menores as retiradas dos planos abertos de aposentadoria. Entretanto, as retiradas dos planos de aposentadoria que aplicam em ações tendem a aumentar quando o extrato é enviado aos investidores commais freqüência. Esses fenômenos podem ser explicados por teorias behavioristas, como o conceito de aversão míope à perda. Num contexto onde a aversão à perda esteja presente, quanto maior a freqüência com que o investidor avalia a sua carteira, ou quanto menor o horizonte do investimento, menos atraente ele achará o investimento em ativos com alto retorno e risco, como ações. Esse comportamento ocorre não apenas em investimentos a curto prazo, mas também nos ativos tradicionais de longo prazo como os planos de aposentadoria com aplicação em ações.     

A Few Bad Apples? Scandalous Behavior of Mutual Fund Managers

Recent scandals in the business world have intensified the demand for an explanation of the causes of corporate wrongdoing. This study empirically tests the effects of mutual fund management fees and control structures on the likelihood of illegal activity within mutual fund organizations. Specific attention is given to the presence of agency duality issues in the mutual fund industry and how this influences the motivations and decisions of fund managers. Findings provide support for the hypothesized relationship that higher levels of management fees decrease the likelihood of illegal behavior. Additionally, control of the mutual fund by external management is found to have a negative impact on the likelihood of illegal activity while also acting as a moderator of the management fee-illegal behavior relationship. Justin Davis is an Assistant Professor of Strategic Management at Ohio University and Doctoral Candidate at The University of Texas at Arlington. His primary research interests include firm-level entrepreneurship, agency issues in corporate governance, and venture capital investment. Dr. G. Tyge Payne is an Assistant Professor of Strategic Management in the Jerry S. Rawls College of Business at Texas Tech University. His primary research interests include organization-environment fit/misfit, firm-level and corporate enterpreneurship; dual agency issues, and interorganizational relationships. Dr. Gary C. McMahan is an Associate Professor of Management and Coordinator of the Ph.D. Program in Management at The University of Texas at Arlington. His research interests include the strategic role of human resources in organizations and corporate governance and ethics in financial services institutions. He has published over 40 articles, monographs, proceedings, and book chapters.     

Performance of Ethical Mutual Funds in Spain: Sacrifice or Premium?

There is currently much debate in the economic literature about whether ethical investment involves a financial sacrifice or premium. One of the most common methods of testing this compares the financial performance of ethical investment funds with that of other funds not considered “socially responsible” or ethical. The majority of these research studies evaluate the performance of the ethical funds according to classic measures, whereby different financial markets, in different countries and for different periods of time serve as reference for evaluation. The ultimate conclusion of all of these studies is that there are no significant differences between the performance results of one type of funds and the other. In Spain, ethical investment funds are still an incipient sector of investment. To date, the Spanish market has not been included in any type of analysis of these characteristics. Therefore the main objective of this article is to compare the financial performance of ethical investment funds to that of other funds in the Spanish retail market. We propose the aggregate type of analysis as the Spanish ethical investment funds have experienced a weaker development in comparison to those of other developed countries. In the first step we suggest the financial performance to be compared by style analysis since the asset distribution of the Spanish Social Return Investment (SRI) funds differs from the European trend. In particular, we use the multifactor regression model with style benchmarks. We found that their financial performance is in all cases superior or similar to that achieved by the rest of the funds. In the second step, to achieve a more robust and homogeneous comparison, we used the bootstrap method, comparing ethical and non-ethical fund subsamples by homogeneous groups. No significant differences between these two types of funds have been found. Thus, if we assume the positive o neutral effect of ethical investment on investor utility in the retail Spanish market the financial and social performance (FSP) of ethical funds will be, in aggregate, superior to the FSP achieved by conventional funds. In conclusion, the financial performance of ethical mutual funds in Spain is no sacrifice.     

证券投资基金绩效评价方法及实证分析

为考察中国证券投资基金是否取得了超越基准市场市场指数的表现、中国基金是否为投资者创造了价值 ,主要采用 3大经典的风险调整绩效衡量指标对 10只样本基金及基准市场在 2 0 0 2年的表现进行相关计算和排序 ,同时还对基金的择券和择时能力及其投资风格进行了讨论和分析。结论表明有些证券投资基金在 2 0 0 2年投资业绩不如市场 ,投资风格与所宣称的也有较大出入 ,基金投资管理能力及其风格均有待提高和稳定。     

Mutual Fund Incubation and the Role of the Securities and Exchange Commission

A mutual fund family incubates a fund when it creates a privately subsidized fund not available to the general investing public. It destroys unsuccessful incubator funds. The few successful funds will report higher incubation returns than the market return in advertisements intended to attract money from individual investors. This practice is currently allowed by the SEC. The evidence is that incubation returns are not a good predictor of subsequent fund performance and likely serve to mislead unsuspecting investors. University of Notre Dame Finance Professor Carl Ackermann received a Bachelor of Arts from Amherst College and a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill). University of Notre Dame Finance Professor Tim Loughran received a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Illinois (Urbana), an MBA from Indiana University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois (Urbana).     

不同基金组织形式下管理人行为的博弈分析

建立了基金管理人与投资者之间的不完全信息动态博弈模型,用以说明不同基金组织形式下基金管理人行为选择的差异。研究认为管理人的行为选择是其相机抉择的结果,开放式基金制度是否对管理人有更强约束力,取决于监督机制、声誉机制、管理人收入方案等因素。在模型分析的基础上,提出了减轻管理人机会主义行为的制度设计方案。     

The Effect of Diversification on Tail Risk: Evidence from US Equity Mutual Fund Portfolios

This paper examines the effect of diversification on the tail risk of US equity mutual fund portfolios by utilizing classical higher‐moment measures and robust tail weight measures. Empirical results show that market standard portfolios based on the mean‐variance framework are exposed to greater tail risk than benchmark portfolios are and diversification further intensifies this exposure.     

我国开放式基金选股能力和择时能力的实证研究

本文运用T-M 模型和H-M 模型对我国开放式基金经理的选股能力和择时能力进行实证研究,结果表明,我国开放式基金经理不具备选股能力,但具备一定的择时能力。此外,选股能力和择时能力之间存在强烈的负相关性。     

The Investment Performance of Socially Responsible Investment Funds in Australia

Interest in the notion of the possible financial sacrifice suffered by socially responsible investment (SRI) fund investors for considering ethical, social and environmental issues in their investment decisions has spawned considerable academic interest in the performance of SRI funds. Both the Australian and international research literature have yielded largely mixed results. However, several of these studies are hampered by methodological problems which can obscure the significance of reported results, such as the use of small sample sizes, inconsistencies in the time frames selected to analyse performance and different modelling frameworks used to estimate investment returns. This study attempts to redress some of these issues by investigating the returns performance of 89 ethical funds in Australia over the period 1986–2005. Using a multi-factor CAPM model [Fama, E. F., and K. R. French (1996) J. Finance 51(1), 55] (which controls for factors such as size, book-to-market value and momentum) we find that ethical funds significantly under-perform the market in Australia, particularly in the most recent 5 years of our sample period (2000–2005). Risk adjusted returns (using Jensen’s alpha) indicate that average annual underperformance is around 1.52% in the 2000–2005 period for our sample and .88% over the whole sample period. Our results contrast with many previous studies (both Australian and international), which have not found statistically significant differences in the performance of ethical funds relative to market benchmarks and/or a matched sample of conventional funds. Stewart Jones is a Professor of Accounting with the University of Sydney, appointed in 2001. His research interests embrace credit risk modelling, capital markets research, standard setting and accounting theory. Sandra van der Laan is a lecturer in the Discipline of Accounting at the University of Sydney. Her research focuses on accounting as a social discourse and accounting as a mechanism to discharge a broad range of corporate accountabilities. Geoff Frost is an Associate Professor of Accounting at the University of Sydney. His research interests include corporate social responsibility and ethical investment. Janice Loftus is a senior lecturer in accounting at the University of Sydney. Her current research interests include financial accounting and corporate social responsibility reporting.     

风险-收益悖论与绩差基金的业绩持续性

绩差基金的业绩具有持续性,这种现象为何产生,现有文献对此缺乏研究。文章从前景理论和金融市场的异常现象——风险-收益悖论出发,分析绩差基金业绩持续的原因,并提出一种解释这种原因的假说。文章利用我国开放式基金的数据,对这个假说进行了实证检验,检验结果证实：业绩排名落后时基金经理偏好冒险的决策行为,承担高风险却没有得到高收益补偿,是绩差基金业绩持续的重要原因。     

农村资金互助社绩效评价研究——基于安徽太湖的案例

农村资金互助社是解决三农融资难的重要载体,但不同类型的资金互助社发展状况各异。为引导农村资金互助社健康发展,根据农村资金互助社的制度特征,从经营绩效、社会绩效两个方面构建绩效评估指标体系,并选择安徽太湖的两类资金互助社进行案例研究,结果发现银监会批准的资金互助社和专业合作社内部的资金互助社都取得了较好的经营绩效和社会绩效,但后者的社会绩效要优于前者,而前者的经营绩效要优于后者。     

Pricing and Cost Recovery for Internet Services: Practical Review,Classification, and Application of Relevant Models

Suitable pricing models for Internet services represent one of the main prerequisites for a successfully running implementation of a charging and accounting system. This paper introduces general aspects influencing the choice of a pricing model in practical situations and presents a survey as well as a classification of relevant and advanced approaches to be found in the scientific literature. First performance results on charging extensions within the Internet are presented, which are completed by a set of market price simulations for dynamic pricing models within the same implementation environment. Based on cost model investigations some detailed insights into price and cost issues from an Internet Service Provider's (ISP) point of view are given. Moreover, current challenges as well as problems are discussed in a practical context as investigated in the Swiss National Science Foundation project Charging and Accounting Technology for the Internet (CATI).     

The Influence of Fund Size and Investment Expenses on the Performance of Pension Funds in Brazil

ABSTRACT

This work investigates the relationship between investment expenses and pension fund size with investment performance, and whether or not past performance influences future performance. Relationships are presented between expenses, size and investment performance of pension funds in Brazil in the period 1998–2002. Utilizing regressions allowed for the conclusion that performance and expenses presented an inverse relationship, and that past performance does not offer any indication as to future performance, which indicates that active administration is not a good strategy. Finally, portfolio size presented a relationship inverse to performance.

RESUMEN. Este trabajo investiga la relación que existe entre los gastos incurridos por las inversiones, y el tamaño de los fondos de pensión con respecto al desempeño de las inversiones, para determinar si el desempeño del pasado ejerce o no algún tipo de influencia sobre el desempeño esperado. Hemos trazado una relación entre los gastos, tamaño y desempeño de las inversiones asignadas a los fondos de pensión en Brasil durante el período 1998–2002. El uso de estas regresiones nos permitió determinar que el desempeño y gastos presentaron una relación inversa, y que el desempeño anterior no ofrece ninguna indicación sobre el desempeño que se puede esperar en el futuro. Esto indica que la administración activa de los fondos no es una buena estrategia y, por último, determinamos que el tamaño de la cartera presentó una relación inversa al desempeño.

RESUMO. Este trabalho verifica se as despesas de investimentos e o porte do fundo de pensão estão direta ou inversamente relacionados com o desempenho dos investimentos. Apresentam-se relações entre despesas, porte e o desempenho dos investimentos dos fundos de pensão no Brasil, no período de 1998 a 2002. A utilização de regressões entre as medidas de desempenho, as despesas e o porte permitiu concluir que as despesas de investimentos e o porte das carteiras dos fundos de pensão apresentaram relação inversa com o desempenho dos investimentos. Essa descoberta favorece a idéia de que a administração ativa não é boa estratégia.     

隐性交易成本与资产定价——基于上证180指数成份股票交易数据的实证研究

文章利用上证180指数成份股票的高频数据计算隐性交易成本,探讨其与资产定价的关系。发现:(1)隐性交易成本与换手率、规模和收益率都存在着明显的线性负相关关系。在股票收益率下降时期,隐性交易成本通过流动性深度成本间接影响股票收益率。(2)较之隐性交易成本,规模因素与换手率因素对收益率的影响有着更好的测度性。很可能是因为这两个因素与流动性深度成本也有着显著相关性。(3)隐性交易成本与规模因素整体上呈线性负相关关系,分段上的关系则很可能是凹函数与凸函数的组合。     

从国际期货定价机制变化看我国期货市场风险管理

在国际金融危机持续的背景下,以石油、黄金为代表的商品价格出现了剧烈震荡,国际期货市场定价机制的变化及期货交易规则的高杠杆效应也使得市场风险被明显放大。面对世界复杂的经济环境及国内通胀压力,如何增强我国期货市场抗风险能力,保护投资者正当利益成为社会各界普遍关心的问题。     

Cross‐Country Variability in Cost of Raising Equity: Evidence from Seasoned Equity Offerings

We examine how county‐level governance affects the cost of raising equity. Using data on seasoned equity offerings, we find that the underwriting spread is determined by the litigation risk of issue certifiers, and offer underpricing is largely determined by the investment risk of the equity issue. Underwriting spread increases with enhanced legal enforcement, offsetting the reduction in underpricing associated with strong legal enforcement. Our study offers insight into the effect of legal enforcement and regulatory policy on the cost of raising equity.     

金融衍生品的定价能力研究:以中国市场权证为例

文章应用线性多因子模型研究了我国权证的定价能力,发现权证是非冗余的,故对风险资产的收益率有解释能力,且对小公司和价值股的解释能力强于大公司和成长股.文章还利用随机贴现因子的思想,用GMM方法做了稳健性检验.两种方法从不同角度得到同样的结论,权证价格中包含定价因素,金融衍生品的发展能提高市场定价效率,使市场趋于完全.