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Liquidity in asset pricing: New Australian evidence using low-frequency data

Author

Listed:
  • Daniel Chai

    (Department of Accounting and Finance, Monash University, Australia)

  • Robert Faff

    (UQ Business School, The University of Queensland, Australia; Department of Accounting and Finance, The University of Strathclyde, UK)

  • Philip Gharghori

    (Department of Accounting and Finance, Monash University, Australia)

Abstract

Employing a new proxy for liquidity, this paper examines its impact on stock returns in the context of the Fama-French framework. We augment the Carhart four-factor model with a liquidity factor in our asset pricing tests. Using an extensive dataset drawn from the Australian equities market, we find that liquidity explains a portion of the common variation in stock returns even after controlling for size, book-to-market and momentum. However, our findings suggest that the liquidity factor only adds marginal explanatory power to contemporary asset pricing models.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel Chai & Robert Faff & Philip Gharghori, 2013. "Liquidity in asset pricing: New Australian evidence using low-frequency data," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 38(2), pages 375-400, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ausman:v:38:y:2013:i:2:p:375-400
    DOI: 10.1177/0312896213489143
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    Cited by:

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    3. Mselmi, Nada & Hamza, Taher & Lahiani, Amine & Shahbaz, Muhammad, 2019. "Pricing corporate financial distress: Empirical evidence from the French stock market," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 13-27.
    4. Vu, Van & Chai, Daniel & Do, Viet, 2015. "Empirical tests on the liquidity-adjusted capital asset pricing model," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 35(PA), pages 73-89.
    5. Mai, Van Anh (Vivian) & Ang, Tze Chuan ‘Chewie’ & Fang, Victor, 2016. "Aggregate volatility risk and the cross-section of stock returns: Australian evidence," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 134-149.
    6. Jelena Minović & Boško Živković, 2012. "Impact Of Liquidity And Size Premium On Equity Price Formation In Serbia," Economic Annals, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Belgrade, vol. 57(195), pages 43-78, October -.
    7. Ben R. Marshall & Nhut H. Nguyen & Nuttawat Visaltanachoti & Tom Smith, 2016. "Transaction costs in an illiquid order-driven market," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 56(4), pages 917-933, December.
    8. Frömmel, Michael & Han, Xing & Li, Youwei & Vigne, Samuel A., 2022. "Low liquidity beta anomaly in China," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    9. Faff, Robert & Gharghori, Philip & Nguyen, Annette, 2014. "Non-nested tests of a GDP-augmented Fama–French model versus a conditional Fama–French model in the Australian stock market," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 627-638.
    10. Dean Katselas & Baljit K. Sidhu & Chuan Yu & Tom Smith, 2016. "Merging time-series Australian data across databases: challenges and solutions," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 56(4), pages 1071-1095, December.
    11. Chai, Daniel & Chiah, Mardy & Zhong, Angel, 2019. "Choosing factors: Australian evidence," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    12. Nartea, Gilbert V. & Bai, Hengyu & Wu, Ji, 2020. "Investor sentiment and the economic policy uncertainty premium," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    13. Ze-To, Samuel Yau Man, 2016. "Asset liquidity and stock returns," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 177-196.
    14. Qi Shi & Bin Li & Adrian (Wai Kong) Cheung & Richard Chung, 2017. "Augmenting the intertemporal CAPM with inflation: Further evidence from alternative models," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 42(4), pages 653-672, November.
    15. Philip Gray & Angel Zhong, 2022. "Assessing the usefulness of daily and monthly asset‐pricing factors for Australian equities," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(1), pages 181-211, March.
    16. Ang, Tze Chuan 'Chewie' & Azad, A.S.M. Sohel & Pham, Thu A.T. & Zhong, Angel, 2021. "Firm efficiency and stock returns: Australian evidence," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    17. Robert J. Bianchi & Michael E. Drew & Eduardo Roca & Timothy Whittaker, 2017. "Risk factors in Australian bond returns," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 57(2), pages 373-400, June.
    18. Mardy Chiah & Daniel Chai & Angel Zhong & Song Li, 2016. "A Better Model? An Empirical Investigation of the Fama–French Five-factor Model in Australia," International Review of Finance, International Review of Finance Ltd., vol. 16(4), pages 595-638, December.
    19. Benson, Karen & Faff, Robert & Smith, Tom, 2015. "Injecting liquidity into liquidity research," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 35(PB), pages 533-540.
    20. Huynh, Nhan, 2023. "Unemployment beta and the cross-section of stock returns: Evidence from Australia," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Asset pricing; Australian evidence; Fama-French model; liquidity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates

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