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Efficient Market Hypothesis in South Africa: Evidence from Linear and Nonlinear Unit Root Tests

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  • Andrew Phiri

    (North West University, South Africa)

Abstract

This study investigates the weak form efficient market hypothesis (EMH) for five generalized stock indices in the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) using weekly data collected from 31st January 2000 to 16th December 2014. In particular, we test for weak form market efficiency using a battery of linear and nonlinear unit root testing procedures comprising of the classical augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) tests, the two-regime threshold autoregressive (TAR) unit root tests described in Enders and Granger (1998) as well as the three-regime unit root tests described in Bec, Salem, and Carrasco (2004). Based on our empirical analysis, we are able to demonstrate that whilst the linear unit root tests advocate for unit roots within the time series, the nonlinear unit root tests suggest that most stock indices are threshold stationary processes. These results bridge two opposing contentions obtained from previous studies by concluding that under a linear framework the JSE stock indices offer support in favour of weak form market efficiency whereas when nonlinearity is accounted for, a majority of the indices violate the weak form EMH.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrew Phiri, 2015. "Efficient Market Hypothesis in South Africa: Evidence from Linear and Nonlinear Unit Root Tests," Managing Global Transitions, University of Primorska, Faculty of Management Koper, vol. 13(4 (Winter), pages 369-387.
    • Handle: RePEc:mgt:youmgt:v:13:y:2015:i:4:p:369-387
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. David de Villiers & Natalya Apopo & Andrew Phiri & David McMillan, 2020. "Unobserved structural shifts and asymmetries in the random walk model for stock returns in African frontier markets," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(1), pages 1769348-176, January.
    2. Andrew Phiri, 2017. "The Unemployment-Stock Market Relationship in South Africa: Evidence from Symmetric and Asymmetric Cointegration Models," Managing Global Transitions, University of Primorska, Faculty of Management Koper, vol. 15(3 (Fall)), pages 231-254.
    3. Andrew Phiri, 2020. "Structural changes in exchange rate-stock returns dynamics in South Africa: examining the role of crisis and new trading platform," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 53(1), pages 171-193, February.
    4. Sinazo Guduza & Andrew Phiri, 2017. "Efficient market hypothesis: Evidence from the JSE equity and bond markets," Working Papers 1718, Department of Economics, Nelson Mandela University, revised Dec 2017.
    5. Erdas Mehmet Levent, 2019. "Validity of Weak-Form Market Efficiency in Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs): Evidence from Linear and Nonlinear Unit Root Tests," Review of Economic Perspectives, Sciendo, vol. 19(4), pages 399-428, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH); Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE); South Africa; Threshold Autoregressive (TAR) model; unit roots;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C22 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes
    • C51 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Model Construction and Estimation
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading

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