IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/riibaf/v74y2025ics0275531924004549.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

In the name of the law: How does legal distance affect US international mutual funds’ financial performance?

Author

Listed:
  • Fleta-Asín, Jorge
  • Muñoz, Fernando

Abstract

In this research, we investigate how the distance in legal features between investor and investee countries affects international mutual funds’ financial performance. We analyse a sample formed by 1160 US equity mutual funds in the period 2000–2021 (73,256 monthly portfolios) with an international investment vocation. Our results show that managers of mutual funds holding a portfolio that is exposed to more distant markets in terms of legal features jeopardize the financial performance delivered to investors. We also find a moderating factor whereby investing in larger stock markets alleviates the negative effect of the legal distance.

Suggested Citation

  • Fleta-Asín, Jorge & Muñoz, Fernando, 2025. "In the name of the law: How does legal distance affect US international mutual funds’ financial performance?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:riibaf:v:74:y:2025:i:c:s0275531924004549
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ribaf.2024.102661
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0275531924004549
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ribaf.2024.102661?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kempf, Elisabeth & Luo, Mancy & Schäfer, Larissa & Tsoutsoura, Margarita, 2023. "Political ideology and international capital allocation," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 148(2), pages 150-173.
    2. Aggarwal, Raj & Goodell, John W., 2010. "Financial markets versus institutions in European countries: Influence of culture and other national characteristics," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 19(5), pages 502-520, October.
    3. Andrei Shleifer & Florencio Lopez-de-Silanes & Rafael La Porta, 2008. "The Economic Consequences of Legal Origins," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 46(2), pages 285-332, June.
    4. Bong‐Chan Kho & René M. Stulz & Francis E. Warnock, 2009. "Financial Globalization, Governance, and the Evolution of the Home Bias," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(2), pages 597-635, May.
    5. Djankov, Simeon & McLiesh, Caralee & Shleifer, Andrei, 2007. "Private credit in 129 countries," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(2), pages 299-329, May.
    6. Bok Baik & Jun-Koo Kang & Jin-Mo Kim & Joonho Lee, 2013. "The liability of foreignness in international equity investments: Evidence from the US stock market," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 44(4), pages 391-411, May.
    7. Williamson, Oliver E, 1979. "Transaction-Cost Economics: The Governance of Contractural Relations," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 22(2), pages 233-261, October.
    8. Lu Zheng, 1999. "Is Money Smart? A Study of Mutual Fund Investors' Fund Selection Ability," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 54(3), pages 901-933, June.
    9. La Porta, Rafael & Lopez-de-Silanes, Florencio & Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert, 1999. "The Quality of Government," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 15(1), pages 222-279, April.
    10. Jackson, Howell E. & Roe, Mark J., 2009. "Public and private enforcement of securities laws: Resource-based evidence," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(2), pages 207-238, August.
    11. Stijn Van Nieuwerburgh & Laura Veldkamp, 2009. "Information Immobility and the Home Bias Puzzle," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 64(3), pages 1187-1215, June.
    12. Renneboog, Luc & Ter Horst, Jenke & Zhang, Chendi, 2011. "Is ethical money financially smart? Nonfinancial attributes and money flows of socially responsible investment funds," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 20(4), pages 562-588, October.
    13. La Porta, Rafael & Florencio Lopez-de-Silanes & Andrei Shleifer & Robert W. Vishny, 1997. "Legal Determinants of External Finance," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 52(3), pages 1131-1150, July.
    14. Chevalier, Judith & Ellison, Glenn, 1997. "Risk Taking by Mutual Funds as a Response to Incentives," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 105(6), pages 1167-1200, December.
    15. Harald Hau & Helene Rey, 2008. "Home Bias at the Fund Level," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 98(2), pages 333-338, May.
    16. Hiraki, Takato & Liu, Ming, 2021. "Do global equity mutual funds exhibit home bias?," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 31(C).
    17. Djankov, Simeon & La Porta, Rafael & Lopez-de-Silanes, Florencio & Shleifer, Andrei, 2008. "The law and economics of self-dealing," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(3), pages 430-465, June.
    18. Abou Tanos, Barbara & Jimenez-Garcès, Sonia, 2022. "Foreign investments during financial crises: Institutional investors’ informational skills create value when familiarity does not," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    19. Rafael La Porta & Florencio Lopez‐De‐Silanes & Andrei Shleifer, 2006. "What Works in Securities Laws?," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 61(1), pages 1-32, February.
    20. Kong, Dongmin & Zhao, Zhao, 2024. "Overseas exposures, global events, and mutual fund performance," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 848-863.
    21. Portes, Richard & Rey, Helene, 2005. "The determinants of cross-border equity flows," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(2), pages 269-296, March.
    22. Uribe-Bohorquez, María-Victoria & Martínez-Ferrero, Jennifer & García-Sánchez, Isabel-María, 2018. "Board independence and firm performance: The moderating effect of institutional context," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 28-43.
    23. Fama, Eugene F. & French, Kenneth R., 2015. "A five-factor asset pricing model," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 116(1), pages 1-22.
    24. Massimo Massa & Andrei Simonov, 2006. "Hedging, Familiarity and Portfolio Choice," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 19(2), pages 633-685.
    25. Wang, Jin-Meng & Cheng, Teng Yuan, 2023. "Do the differences in legal systems hinder international enterprises’ debt financing?," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    26. Miguel A. Ferreira & Aneel Keswani & António F. Miguel & Sofia B. Ramos, 2013. "The Determinants of Mutual Fund Performance: A Cross-Country Study," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 17(2), pages 483-525.
    27. Ahearne, Alan G. & Griever, William L. & Warnock, Francis E., 2004. "Information costs and home bias: an analysis of US holdings of foreign equities," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(2), pages 313-336, March.
    28. González, Michael & Astaíza-Gómez, José Gabriel & Pantoja, Javier, 2024. "Actively managed equity mutual funds in emerging markets," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(PA).
    29. Fama, Eugene F, 1970. "Efficient Capital Markets: A Review of Theory and Empirical Work," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 25(2), pages 383-417, May.
    30. Choi, Nicole & Fedenia, Mark & Skiba, Hilla & Sokolyk, Tatyana, 2017. "Portfolio concentration and performance of institutional investors worldwide," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(1), pages 189-208.
    31. French, Kenneth R & Poterba, James M, 1991. "Investor Diversification and International Equity Markets," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 81(2), pages 222-226, May.
    32. Vicentiu M. Covrig & Mark L. Defond & Mingyi Hung, 2007. "Home Bias, Foreign Mutual Fund Holdings, and the Voluntary Adoption of International Accounting Standards," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(1), pages 41-70, March.
    33. Lestari, Jenjang Sri & Frömmel, Michael, 2024. "Socially responsible investments: doing good while doing well in developed versus emerging markets?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    34. Yung, Chris & Zender, Jaime F., 2010. "Moral hazard, asymmetric information and IPO lockups," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 16(3), pages 320-332, June.
    35. Muñoz, Fernando & Ortiz, Cristina & Vicente, Luis, 2022. "Ethical window dressing: SRI funds are as good as their word," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    36. Fama, Eugene F & French, Kenneth R, 1992. "The Cross-Section of Expected Stock Returns," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 47(2), pages 427-465, June.
    37. La Porta, Rafael & Lopez-de-Silanes, Florencio & Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert, 2000. "Investor protection and corporate governance," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(1-2), pages 3-27.
    38. Baele, Lieven & Pungulescu, Crina & Ter Horst, Jenke, 2007. "Model uncertainty, financial market integration and the home bias puzzle," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 606-630, June.
    39. Chauhan, Yogesh & Kumar, Surya Bhushan, 2019. "The value relevance of nonfinancial disclosure: Evidence from foreign equity investment," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 52.
    40. Cumming, Douglas & Johan, Sofia & Peter, Rejo, 2018. "Developments in financial institutions, governance, agency costs, and misconduct," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 1-14.
    41. Dongmin Ke & Lilian Ng & Qinghai Wang, 2010. "Home bias in foreign investment decisions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 41(6), pages 960-979, August.
    42. Liu, Jie & Chen, Zhenshan & Lin, Gengyan & Zhu, Yinglun, 2024. "Riding the geopolitical storm or dodging bullets: Geopolitical risk timing of mutual funds," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    43. Galloppo, Giuseppe & Guida, Roberto & Paimanova, Viktoriia, 2024. "Mutual fund flows and returns dynamics: Investor preferences and performance persistence," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    44. Alda, Mercedes & Muñoz, Fernando & Vargas, María, 2022. "Product differentiation in the socially responsible mutual fund industry," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    45. Carhart, Mark M, 1997. "On Persistence in Mutual Fund Performance," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 52(1), pages 57-82, March.
    46. Chuck C Y Kwok & Solomon Tadesse, 2006. "National culture and financial systems," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 37(2), pages 227-247, March.
    47. Ergungor, O. Emre, 2004. "Market- vs. bank-based financial systems: Do rights and regulations really matter?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 28(12), pages 2869-2887, December.
    48. Gu, Yiwen (Jenny) & Filatotchev, Igor & Greg Bell, R. & Rasheed, Abdul A., 2019. "Liability of foreignness in capital markets: Institutional distance and the cost of debt," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 142-160.
    49. Agoraki, Maria-Eleni K. & Wu, Haoran & Xu, Tongbin & Yang, Min, 2024. "Money never sleeps: Capital flows under global risk and uncertainty," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    50. Dang, Tung Lam & Vo, Thi Thuy Anh & Vo, Xuan Vinh & Thi My Nguyen, Linh, 2023. "Does foreign institutional ownership matter for stock price synchronicity? International evidence," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    51. Lee, Junyong & Lee, Kyounghun & Oh, Frederick Dongchuhl, 2023. "International portfolio diversification and the home bias puzzle," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    52. Aitken, Michael & Cumming, Douglas & Zhan, Feng, 2015. "Exchange trading rules, surveillance and suspected insider trading," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 311-330.
    53. Goergen, Marc & Renneboog, Luc & Khurshed, Arif, 2006. "Explaining the diversity in shareholder lockup agreements," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 15(2), pages 254-280, April.
    54. R Greg Bell & Igor Filatotchev & Abdul A Rasheed, 2012. "The liability of foreignness in capital markets: Sources and remedies," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 43(2), pages 107-122, February.
    55. Klaus Heine & Wolfgang Kerber, 2002. "European Corporate Laws, Regulatory Competition and Path Dependence," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 47-71, January.
    56. Leonard Kostovetsky & Jerold B. Warner, 2020. "Measuring Innovation and Product Differentiation: Evidence from Mutual Funds," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 75(2), pages 779-823, April.
    57. Joshua D. Coval & Tobias J. Moskowitz, 1999. "Home Bias at Home: Local Equity Preference in Domestic Portfolios," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 54(6), pages 2045-2073, December.
    58. Hutton, Amy & Shu, Susan & Zheng, Xin, 2022. "Regulatory transparency and the alignment of private and public enforcement: Evidence from the public disclosure of SEC comment letters," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(1), pages 297-321.
    59. Joshua D. Coval & Tobias J. Moskowitz, 2001. "The Geography of Investment: Informed Trading and Asset Prices," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 109(4), pages 811-841, August.
    60. Kin-Wai Lee & Gillian Hian-Heng Yeo, 2016. "The association between integrated reporting and firm valuation," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 47(4), pages 1221-1250, November.
    61. Hasan, Iftekhar & Kim, Incheol & Teng, Haimeng & Wu, Qiang, 2022. "The effect of foreign institutional ownership on corporate tax avoidance: International evidence," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 46(C).
    62. Kalok Chan & Vicentiu Covrig & Lilian Ng, 2005. "What Determines the Domestic Bias and Foreign Bias? Evidence from Mutual Fund Equity Allocations Worldwide," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 60(3), pages 1495-1534, June.
    63. Rasidah Mohd-Rashid & Ruzita Abdul-Rahim & Norliza Che-Yahya, 2019. "The Influence of Information Asymmetry on IPO Lock-up Provisions: Evidence from Malaysian Market," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 20(3), pages 613-626, June.
    64. La Porta, Rafael & Lopez-de-Silanes, Florencio & Shleifer, Andrei, 2013. "Law and Finance After a Decade of Research," Handbook of the Economics of Finance, in: G.M. Constantinides & M. Harris & R. M. Stulz (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Finance, volume 2, chapter 0, pages 425-491, Elsevier.
    65. Barbara Abou Tanos & Sonia Jimenez-Garcès, 2022. "Foreign investments during financial crises: Institutional investors’ informational skills create value when familiarity does not," Post-Print hal-04004302, HAL.
    66. Aussenegg, Wolfgang & Jelic, Ranko & Ranzi, Robert, 2018. "Corporate insider trading in Europe," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 27-42.
    67. Panicker, Vidya Sukumara & Mitra, Sumit & Upadhyayula, Rajesh Srinivas, 2019. "Institutional investors and international investments in emerging economy firms: A behavioral risk perspective," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 54(4), pages 322-334.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Fleta-Asín, Jorge & Muñoz, Fernando, 2023. "Institutional distance and US-based international mutual funds’ financial performance," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    2. Lee, Junyong & Lee, Kyounghun & Oh, Frederick Dongchuhl, 2023. "International portfolio diversification and the home bias puzzle," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    3. Eduard Gaar & David Scherer & Dirk Schiereck, 2022. "The home bias and the local bias: A survey," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 72(1), pages 21-57, February.
    4. Nicolas Coeurdacier & Hélène Rey, 2013. "Home Bias in Open Economy Financial Macroeconomics," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 51(1), pages 63-115, March.
    5. Anil Mishra, 2011. "Australia’s equity home bias and real exchange rate volatility," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 37(2), pages 223-244, August.
    6. Kwabi, Frank Obenpong & Boateng, Agyenim & Wonu, Chizindu & Kariuki, Charles & Du, Anna, 2023. "Political uncertainty and cross-border equity portfolio allocation decisions: International evidence," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    7. Anil V. Mishra, 2017. "Foreign bias in Australia's international equity holdings," Review of Financial Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 33(1), pages 41-54, April.
    8. Hiraki, Takato & Liu, Ming, 2021. "Do global equity mutual funds exhibit home bias?," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 31(C).
    9. Eichler, Stefan, 2012. "Equity home bias and corporate disclosure," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 31(5), pages 1008-1032.
    10. Mishra, Anil V. & Ratti, Ronald A., 2013. "Home bias and cross border taxation," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 169-193.
    11. Diyarbakirlioglu, Erkin, 2011. "Domestic and foreign country bias in international equity portfolios," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 21(5), pages 301-329.
    12. Drobetz, Wolfgang & Mönkemeyer, Marwin & Requejo, Ignacio & Schröder, Henning, 2023. "Foreign bias in institutional portfolio allocation: The role of social trust," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 214(C), pages 233-269.
    13. Praveen Das, 2014. "The role of corporate governance in foreign investments," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(3), pages 187-201, February.
    14. repec:hal:wpspec:info:hdl:2441/c8dmi8nm4pdjkuc9g81p7j6b6 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Mishra, Anil V., 2015. "Measures of equity home bias puzzle," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 293-312.
    16. Christina Guenther & Sofia Johan & Denis Schweizer, 2018. "Is the crowd sensitive to distance?—how investment decisions differ by investor type," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 50(2), pages 289-305, February.
    17. repec:spo:wpecon:info:hdl:2441/c8dmi8nm4pdjkuc9g81p7j6b6 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Hamberg, Mattias & Mavruk, Taylan & Sjögren, Stefan, 2013. "Investment allocation decisions, home bias and the mandatory IFRS adoption," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 107-130.
    19. Karolyi, G. Andrew & Ng, David T. & Prasad, Eswar S., 2020. "The Coming Wave: Where Do Emerging Market Investors Put Their Money?," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 55(4), pages 1369-1414, June.
    20. Junyong Lee & Kyounghun Lee & Frederick Dongchuhl Oh, 2023. "Religion and Equity Home Bias," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 34(5), pages 1015-1038, November.
    21. Giannetti, Mariassunta & Laeven, Luc, 2012. "The flight home effect: Evidence from the syndicated loan market during financial crises," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(1), pages 23-43.
    22. Coeurdacier, Nicolas & Guibaud, Stéphane, 2011. "International portfolio diversification is better than you think," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 289-308, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    International mutual funds; Investor protection; Legal origin; Market capitalization; Securities laws;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • B17 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought through 1925 - - - International Trade and Finance
    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G15 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - International Financial Markets
    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • P48 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems - - - Legal Institutions; Property Rights; Natural Resources; Energy; Environment; Regional Studies

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:riibaf:v:74:y:2025:i:c:s0275531924004549. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ribaf .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.