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The January effect in the foreign exchange market: Evidence for seasonal equity carry trades

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  • Eric Girardin

    (AMSE - Aix-Marseille Sciences Economiques - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - ECM - École Centrale de Marseille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Fatemeh Salimi Namin

    (AMSE - Aix-Marseille Sciences Economiques - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - ECM - École Centrale de Marseille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

In this study, we investigate monthly seasonality in the foreign exchange market. Given the well-known recurrent higher returns in some month than in others in stock markets around the world, we consider it likely that a seasonal outperformance of a country's stock market over another is associated with similar seasonal patterns in capital flows and exchange rates. A seasonal profit (carry trade) opportunity can be created by the simultaneous appreciation of a country's currency and the outperformance of its stock market. By focusing on the world's key currency pairs, the US dollar-Deutsche mark and the US dollar-euro, and by using a Markov-switching framework, we document persistent January and December effects in the foreign exchange market from 1971 to 2017. Analysis of the German-US stock returns differential and their bilateral capital flows reveal similar month effects in 65% of the whole sample.

Suggested Citation

  • Eric Girardin & Fatemeh Salimi Namin, 2019. "The January effect in the foreign exchange market: Evidence for seasonal equity carry trades," Post-Print hal-02314156, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-02314156
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econmod.2019.07.021
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://amu.hal.science/hal-02314156
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    seasonality; month effect; foreign currency market; UEP; Markov-switching; carry trade;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F21 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Investment; Long-Term Capital Movements
    • F31 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Exchange
    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G15 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - International Financial Markets

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