Evaluating Greek equity funds using data envelopment analysis

This study assesses the relative performance of Greek equity funds employing a non-parametric method, specifically Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). Using an original sample of cost and operational attributes we explore the e¤ect of each variable on funds' operational efficiency for an oligopolistic and bank-dominated fund industry. Our results have significant implications for the investors' fund selection process since we are able to identify potential sources of inefficiencies for the funds. The most striking result is that the percentage of assets under management affects performance negatively, a conclusion which may be related to the structure of the domestic stock market. Furthermore, we provide evidence against the notion of funds' mean-variance efficiency

Herding behaviour in extreme market conditions: the case of the Athens Stock Exchange

This paper examines herd behaviour in extreme market conditions using data from the Athens Stock Exchange. We test for the presence of herding as suggested by Christie and Huang (1995) and Chang, Cheng, and Khorana (2000). Results based on daily, weekly and monthly data indicate the existence of herd behaviour for the years 1998-2007. Evidence of herd behaviour over daily time intervals is much stronger, revealing the short-term nature of the phenomenon. When the testing period is broken into semi-annual sub-periods, herding is found during the stock market crisis of 1999. Investor behaviour seems to have become more rational since 2002, owing to the regulatory and institutional reforms of the Greek equity market and the intense presence of foreign institutional investors.

Temporal Aggregation Effects on the Construction of Portfolios of Stocks or Mutual Funds through Optimization Techniques - Some Empirical and Monte Carlo Results

In this paper we test the effects of temporal aggregation (disaggregation) on the efficiency of portfolio construction using the mean variance optimization approach. Using Monte Carlo techniques and empirical data from the Athens Stocks Exchange we confirm that the use of temporally aggregated data effects very seriously the efficiency of the constructed portfolio. Especially as the degree of temporal aggregation increases the application of optimization techniques could lead to different results regarding the percentage of stocks participation, the weights and finally the total portfolio performance.Portfolio Optimization, Stocks; Temporal Aggregation; Stochastic Simulation, The Banking Sector of the Athens Stocks Exchange

Nonlinear diachronic effects between stock returns and mutual fund flows: Additional empirical evidence from the Athens Stocks Exchange

This short paper examines the nonlinear interaction between mutual fund flows and stock returns in Greece. We investigate the possibility of a nonlinear causality mechanism through which mutual funds flows may affect stock returns and vice versa. The statistical evidence derived from linear and nonlinear causality tests indicate that there is indeed a bidirectional nonlinear causality between mutual fund flows and stock returns. We also detect a unidirectional causality from the Dow Jones Index to the domestic stock price index and the domestic mutual fund flows.Mutual fund flows; Stock returns; Linear and Nonlinear Granger Causality.

Individualized study systems in theory and practice

After a short characterization of individualized study systems (ISS) and a survey of the number and subject fields of individualized courses in the USA and Europe, the construction and evaluation of an ISSystem in freshman mathematics at the Twente University of Technology is discussed. On the basis of their own experience and data received from others, the authors present a scheme in which the main characteristics of successful ISSystems are outlined

Herd behaviour in extreme market conditions: The case of the Athens stock exchange

This paper examines herd behaviour in extreme market conditions using data from the Athens Stock Exchange. We test for the presence of herding as suggested by Christie and Huang (1995) and Chang, Cheng, and Khorana (2000). Results based on daily, weekly and monthly data indicate the existence of herd behaviour for the years 1998-2007. Evidence of herd behaviour over daily time intervals is much stronger, revealing the short-term nature of the phenomenon. When the testing period is broken into semi-annual sub-periods, herding is found during the stock market crisis of 1999. Investor behaviour seems to have become more rational since 2002, owing to the regulatory and institutional reforms of the Greek equity market and the intense presence of foreign institutional investors