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Market neutrality and beta crashes

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  • Xu, Xia

Abstract

Market neutrality is a key feature of Frazzini and Pedersen (2014)’s betting-against-beta (BAB) factor. However, we find that BAB fails to remain market neutral in practice, and the deviations from market neutrality often arrive in the shape of crashes. BAB resembles momentum in terms of option-like payoffs, exhibiting significant exposure to large market movements. Particularly, BAB effectuates negative market timing and negative volatility timing amid volatile markets, promoting BAB crashes. The concern of imperfect market neutrality is shared by a broad range of beta arbitrage strategies that are aimed at being market neutral. The strategy’s vulnerability to bull markets is not fundamentally explained by the liquidity and leverage rationale. Managing beta crashes significantly improves investment performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Xu, Xia, 2025. "Market neutrality and beta crashes," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:empfin:v:80:y:2025:i:c:s0927539824001117
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jempfin.2024.101577
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Betting against beta; Market neutrality; Low-beta anomaly;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G10 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)
    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates

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