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Category-specific EPU indices, macroeconomic variables and stock market return predictability

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  • Zeng, Qing
  • Lu, Xinjie
  • Dong, Dayong
  • Li, Pan

Abstract

This paper mainly investigates whether the category-specific EPU indices have predictability for stock market returns. Empirical results show that the content of category-specific EPU can significantly predict the stock market return, no matter the individual category-specific EPU index or the principal component of category-specific EPU indices. In addition, the information of category-specific EPU indices can also have higher economic gains than traditional macroeconomic variables, even considering the trading cost and different investor risk aversion coefficients. During different forecasting windows, multi-period forecast horizons and the COVID-19 pandemic, we find the information contained in category-specific EPU indices can have better performances than that of the macroeconomic variables. Our paper tries to provide new evidence for stock market returns based on category-specific EPU indices.

Suggested Citation

  • Zeng, Qing & Lu, Xinjie & Dong, Dayong & Li, Pan, 2022. "Category-specific EPU indices, macroeconomic variables and stock market return predictability," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finana:v:84:y:2022:i:c:s1057521922003039
    DOI: 10.1016/j.irfa.2022.102353
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