Equity portfolio investment in developing countries : a literature survey

The author surveys the literature on equity portfolio investment to develop a research agenda that could help developing countries interested in attracting equity portfolio flows. He finds that a broad literature exists on equity portfolio flows, but that most empirical tests have focused on industrial countries. Although some of the analytical papers may be applicable to developing countries, the author identifies areas of empirical research of specific interest to developing countries: identifying barriers that prevent a free flow of (equity portfolio) capitalbetween industrial and developing countries; quantifying the opportunity costs of these barriers in higher risk-adjusted cost of capital and lower flow of capital; analyzing the optimal amount of portfolio investment and the degree to which investors in industrial countries are currently (under-) invested in developing countries; and analyzing the efficiency of the various stock markets in developing countries, as inefficient stock markets could be a barrier to foreign flows. This research could help policymakers in developing countries make decisions about liberalizing capital accounts, reforming financial markets, and coping with the potential volatility of equity portfolio flows.