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Momentum strategies with stock index exchange-traded funds

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  • Tse, Yiuman

Abstract

Previously reported momentum profits may not be available to individual investors who have more trading constraints. Therefore, I examine the profitability of momentum strategies with international iShares and US sector exchange-traded funds (ETFs) traded on the NYSE. The index ETFs provide individual investors easy access to international stock markets and US sectors for asset allocations. Using cross-sectional momentum strategies, in contrast to prior research, I find that momentum profits are insignificant for the late 1990s–2014 period. Few country and industry ETFs yield positive results using time series momentum, and the overall performance is worse than the buy-and-hold strategy. Time series momentum offers significant profits during the 2008 global financial crisis, but the profits decline sharply for the post-crisis period.

Suggested Citation

  • Tse, Yiuman, 2015. "Momentum strategies with stock index exchange-traded funds," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 134-148.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecofin:v:33:y:2015:i:c:p:134-148
    DOI: 10.1016/j.najef.2015.04.003
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    8. Zaremba, Adam & Andreu, Laura, 2018. "Paper profits or real money? Trading costs and stock market anomalies in country ETFs," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 181-192.
    9. Li, Bob & Ee, Mong Shan & Rashid, Mamunur, 2016. "Is momentum trading profitable from Shari'ah compliant stocks?," Review of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 56-63.
    10. Enrique Molina‐Muñoz & Andrés Mora‐Valencia & Javier Perote, 2021. "Backtesting expected shortfall for world stock index ETFs with extreme value theory and Gram–Charlier mixtures," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(3), pages 4163-4189, July.
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