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An investigation of empirical properties of South African bonds

This study investigates empirical properties of South African bonds over the period 2000 to 2016. In particular, it investigates i) mean reversion in bond returns; ii) the correlation between bond returns and the inflation rate; and, iii) the correlation between bond returns and equity returns. An u...

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Main Author: Mate, Janet
Other Authors: Rajaratnam, Kanshukan
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Department of Finance and Tax 2017
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access_status_str Open Access
author Mate, Janet
author2 Rajaratnam, Kanshukan
author_browse Mate, Janet
Rajaratnam, Kanshukan
author_facet Rajaratnam, Kanshukan
Mate, Janet
author_sort Mate, Janet
collection Thesis
description This study investigates empirical properties of South African bonds over the period 2000 to 2016. In particular, it investigates i) mean reversion in bond returns; ii) the correlation between bond returns and the inflation rate; and, iii) the correlation between bond returns and equity returns. An understanding of bond return dynamics would allow bond investors to assess which bond properties work in their favour. Thus this study seeks to guide bond investors, and to add to the knowledge of the bond market concerning bond return dynamics in an emerging market economy. The study employs a quantitative research methodology, using a nonexperimental research design. The investigation is carried out at the macroeconomic level using the JSE All Bond Indices as the bond investment proxy, the FTSE/JSE All Share Total Return Index as the equity investment proxy, and the Consumer Price Index as the proxy used to measure the inflation rate. The sample autocorrelation function is used to test for mean reversion and the Kendall Tau-b correlation test is used for the correlation investigations. This study does not find statistically significant evidence of long term mean reversion but finds statistically significant evidence of short-term mean reverting behaviour in the period 2013-2016. Furthermore, this study reveals that short-term serial correlations vary and are sensitive to political developments in the economy. The correlation analysis between bond returns and the inflation rate and bond returns and stock returns did not return statistically significant correlation values. However, further analysis provided evidence against the use of bonds as an inflation hedge and of diversification benefits to be reaped from combining bonds and stocks together in a portfolio.
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
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license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2017
publishDateRange 2017
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publisher Department of Finance and Tax
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source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/25464 An investigation of empirical properties of South African bonds Mate, Janet Rajaratnam, Kanshukan Majoni, Akios Investment Management This study investigates empirical properties of South African bonds over the period 2000 to 2016. In particular, it investigates i) mean reversion in bond returns; ii) the correlation between bond returns and the inflation rate; and, iii) the correlation between bond returns and equity returns. An understanding of bond return dynamics would allow bond investors to assess which bond properties work in their favour. Thus this study seeks to guide bond investors, and to add to the knowledge of the bond market concerning bond return dynamics in an emerging market economy. The study employs a quantitative research methodology, using a nonexperimental research design. The investigation is carried out at the macroeconomic level using the JSE All Bond Indices as the bond investment proxy, the FTSE/JSE All Share Total Return Index as the equity investment proxy, and the Consumer Price Index as the proxy used to measure the inflation rate. The sample autocorrelation function is used to test for mean reversion and the Kendall Tau-b correlation test is used for the correlation investigations. This study does not find statistically significant evidence of long term mean reversion but finds statistically significant evidence of short-term mean reverting behaviour in the period 2013-2016. Furthermore, this study reveals that short-term serial correlations vary and are sensitive to political developments in the economy. The correlation analysis between bond returns and the inflation rate and bond returns and stock returns did not return statistically significant correlation values. However, further analysis provided evidence against the use of bonds as an inflation hedge and of diversification benefits to be reaped from combining bonds and stocks together in a portfolio. 2017-09-28T05:36:55Z 2017-09-28T05:36:55Z 2017 Master Thesis Masters MCom http://hdl.handle.net/11427/25464 eng application/pdf Department of Finance and Tax Faculty of Commerce University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Investment Management
Mate, Janet
An investigation of empirical properties of South African bonds
thesis_degree_str Master's
title An investigation of empirical properties of South African bonds
title_full An investigation of empirical properties of South African bonds
title_fullStr An investigation of empirical properties of South African bonds
title_full_unstemmed An investigation of empirical properties of South African bonds
title_short An investigation of empirical properties of South African bonds
title_sort investigation of empirical properties of south african bonds
topic Investment Management
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/25464
work_keys_str_mv AT matejanet aninvestigationofempiricalpropertiesofsouthafricanbonds
AT matejanet investigationofempiricalpropertiesofsouthafricanbonds