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In asset management, what if clients want to purchase protection from risk factors, under the form of variance risk premia. This paper aims to address this topic by developing a portfolio optimization framework based on the criterion of the minimum variance risk premium (VRP) for any investor selecting stocks with an expected target return while minimizing the risk aversion associated to the portfolio according to “good” and “bad” times.

To accomplish this portfolio selection problem, the authors compute variance risk-premium as the difference from high-frequencies' realized volatility and options' implied volatility stemming from 19 stock markets, estimate a 2-state Markov-switching model on the variance risk-premia and optimize variance risk-premia portfolios across non-overlapping regions. The period goes from March 16, 2011, to March 28, 2018.

The authors find that optimized portfolios based on variance-covariance matrices stemming from VRP do not consistently outperform the benchmark based on daily returns. Several robustness checks are investigated by minimizing historical, realized or implicit variances, with/without regime switching. In a boundary case, accounting for the realized variance risk factor in portfolio decisions can be seen as a promising alternative from a portfolio performance perspective.

As a new management “style”, the realized volatility approach can, therefore, bring incremental value to construct the conditional covariance matrix estimates.

The authors assess the portfolio performance determined by the variance-covariance matrices that are derived by four models: “naive” (Markowitz returns benchmark), non-switching VRP, maximum likelihood regime-switching VRP and Bayesian regime switching VRP. The authors examine the best return-risk combination through the calculation of the Sharpe ratio. They also assess another different portfolio strategy: the risk parity approach.

This paper identifies the “idiosyncratic basis”, the residual premia computed from stripping away the hypothetical cross-currency basis (CCB) from the cross-currency credit spread (CCCS) of eligible senior corporate dollar-denominated bonds relative to their hypothetical euro-denominated comparator of identical seniority, duration, credit risk and issuer. The adherence of the idiosyncratic basis to the no-arbitrage condition is subsequently evaluated through the application of an indicative market-neutral credit strategy that is designed to harvest the apparent static arbitrage opportunities. The success of the strategy, which systematically captures the idiosyncratic basis as it adheres to the no-arbitrage conditions, is validated retrospectively to frame the basis as an additional class of alternative risk premia (ARP), which investors can seek to optimise exposure to in a long-only context.

Risk factor investing has grown in popularity in recent years and has become a cornerstone of investment portfolios. The goal of factor investing is to generate more returns in the long run. This paper aims to studies the term structure of equity factor. The authors consider the point of view of an American investor and use risk, diversification and performance measures.

The authors combine two methodologies as follows: wavelets and copulas. The authors use daily, weekly and monthly equity factor returns to calibrate wavelets and copulas. Copula functions are useful instruments to describe “joint” fluctuations in different markets, especially to capture nonlinearities, providing a reasonable alternative to the assumption of joint normality. To check robustness, the authors propose three different wavelet mother functions to decompose the data and three different time horizons and the authors add a complementary exercise based on performance and diversification measurement without wavelet transform.

The authors identify temporal horizons for which diversification benefits would be optimized with the decrease in the level of dependence or even the inversion of the dependence structure. Thus, investors seeking diversification with factor investing have to care about the considered horizon: size and book to market factors seem to provide better diversification in the short term. Momentum strategies seem to deliver better diversification in the long run. All the results are very consistent.

Very few papers have documented the diversification properties of the equity risk factors. While factors are built to capture systematic risk premia, their diversification properties are still poorly understood. It is necessary to take into account non-normality of risk factors and to study the diversification over different time horizons. The solution is to use wavelet methodology to decompose returns into temporal series of different maturities.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the variation and dispersion of prime retail yields in eight Asia‐Pacific centres. It seeks to provide empirical evidence on the significance of real estate and capital market influences as systematic drivers of retail yields in the sample of eight cities. The aim is to build a model that enables market participants to obtain base case yield forecasts.

A panel model is deployed in this study utilising a database of yields of eight years (2001‐2007). The small number of observations for retail yields across cities is addressed with this approach, which combines time‐series and cross‐section data. A fixed‐effect specification allows for city specific influences that partially capture the heterogeneity of cities in the sample. Within this framework the influence of time varying factors across markets and random effects on yields is examined.

The empirical estimates established significant influences from real rent growth and interest rates on retail yields explaining 78 per cent of their variation when allowed for fixed effects. Systematic time influences and market size are not significant. Retail yields are found fairly sensitive to long‐term interest (LTI) rates with 1 per cent change in LTI rates resulting in an over 80 basis points shift in yields. In general, investors should be aware of interest rate shocks as these can move retail yields in the region significantly. Based on the actual and simulated values for 2007 Shanghai and Hong Kong are broadly fairly priced. In Tokyo, Sydney and Singapore retail yields are somewhat lower than the simulated values, which are attributed to greater liquidity and transparency in these markets than indicating over‐pricing. In Delhi, the prime yield above the actual a sign of a possible outward movement is found. Beijing appears under‐priced. Finally, in Mumbai, which has the highest yield in the sample, the simulated yield is below actual as per 2007. An adjustment may not be expected as this difference is attributed to the pricing of supply risks in this market.

This study addresses the dearth of research work on retail yields in the Asia‐Pacific region. Through the panel methodology proposed market participants can obtain fundamentals‐based forecasts for prime retail yields in the sample of the eight cities, understand the exposure to interest rate movements and make calls as to whether markets are mispriced. The study shows that pooling data and panel techniques represent a good option to study market dynamics in situations of small datasets.

Purpose – To discuss, from the perspective of developing countries, recent proposals for reforming international standards for bank capital requirements.

Methodology/approach – After evaluating, from the viewpoint of developing countries, the effectiveness of capital requirements reforms and progress in implementing existing regulatory accords, the chapter discusses the procyclical effects of Basel regimes, and suggests a reform proposal.

Findings – Minimum bank capital requirements proposals in developing countries should be complemented by the adoption of an incremental, size-based leverage ratio.

Originality/value of chapter – This chapter contributes to enlarge the academic and policy debate related to bank capital regulation, with a particular focus on the situation of developing countries.

Recent developments in pension law in the UK has seen a shift towards the creation of a Shari'ah fund under the National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) to cater for British Muslims' retirement needs. However, as the concept of funded pension is an alien concept in Islamic history, there is a need to analyse the intricacies associated with the establishment of such occupational pension plan. The purpose of this paper is firs, to address the concept of pension to see how it fits with Muslim ethos, and second, to highlight some Fiqhi (Islamic jurisprudence) issues that need to be addressed before establishing the Shari'ah pension fund.

The paper first traces the historical development of pension in the UK and how the issue of an ageing population is shaping the reforms. It subsequently highlights some of the Fiqhi issues that need to be addressed in establishing the new Shari'ah fund and recommendations are then made.

The paper sheds some light on the need to consider the idea of savings in Islam to meet retirement needs because the societal structure of Muslim community in the UK is economically changing as compared to the past. Hence, the concept of pensions is seen to fit into the maqasid of Shari'ah which includes protection of life, family and wealth. However, there are some haram (non permissible) elements, such as annuities and nominees (which affect the law of inheritance), that need to be eliminated in the legislation and pension models currently available. Hence, a model is suggested to help make the Shari'ah fund offered to British Muslims via NEST to be religious compliant.

The recommendations made in this paper will facilitate to some extent addressing some of the fiqhi issues to make the fund religiously suitable.

To align an Islamic occupational pension model with that of its mainstream counterparts requires addressing some of the fiqhi issues to make the fund religiously suitable.

A modern Islamic occupational pension fund is a new phenomenon in the Muslim world, and this issue is hardly being addressed so far. This paper highlights some pertinent fiqhi issues to be considered in establishing such an occupational pension fund.

This chapter aims to determine whether diversification benefits accrue from adding emerging market hedge funds (EMHFs) to an emerging market bond/equity portfolio, and subsequently whether the type of exposure hedge funds provide is justified by their fees. We use multivariate cointegration analysis to show that the advantages of adding hedge funds to balanced portfolios are limited for the three regions of Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America, as well as for the entire global emerging market universe. In summary, we find that emerging market hedge funds are generally redundant for diversifying long-only emerging market investment portfolios with long-term investment horizons. This result also holds when we extend our sample by the global financial crisis in 2008 and 2009 and allow for structural breaks according to the Gregory-Hansen (1996) test. Hence, even during the global financial crisis in 2008 and 2009, when risk diversification was most needed, long-term comovements between hedge funds and traditional assets is, with the exception of the Eastern European region, not disrupted. Because EMHF returns are heavily influenced by the emerging market equity and bond markets, we conclude that the “alpha fees” charged by EMHFs may not always be appropriate for the three main regions under consideration. This also holds, however, to a lesser extent, for a global diversification among hedge funds and traditional assets in emerging markets.

This paper aims to investigate the efficiency of different hedging strategies for an investor holding a portfolio of foreign currency bonds.

The simplest strategies of no hedge and fully hedged are compared with the more sophisticated strategies of the ordinary least squares (OLS) approach and the optimal hedge ratios found by the dynamic conditional correlation-generalised autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity approach.

The sophisticated hedging strategies are found to be superior to the simple strategies because they lower the portfolio risk in domestic currency terms and improve the Sharpe ratios for multi-asset portfolios. The analyses also show that both the OLS and dynamic hedging strategies imply holding a limited carry position by being long in high-yielding currencies but short in low-yielding currencies.

The performance of multi-currency portfolios is examined using more realistic assumptions than in the previous literature, including a weekly frequency and a constraint of no short selling. Furthermore, carry trades are shown to be part of an optimal portfolio.

The Colombian Government proposed a reverse mortgage mechanism to complement retirement income in Colombia. This paper aims to study its feasibility by valuing its premia.

Under a reverse mortgage scheme, banks issue put options on an owner’s home. To value the option, the authors apply a risk-neutral canonical approach modeling its three sources of risk: home future value, interest rate levels and homeowner life expectancy.

In all, premia values do not seem too high. However, if future interest rates are above the simulations or home appreciation is below its historical behavior, the premia could sharply increase, jeopardizing the system viability. Limiting the loan-to-home-value ratio or fixed-term annuities are feasible alternatives to keep premium increases at bay. Complementary mechanisms may also help.

The home price and interest rate path estimation do not include inflation dynamics; in recent years inflation level was very low. However, the future does not offer any warrants. Future research also should cap the maximum loss the bank can endure. The pandemic may cause demographic changes affecting the viability of the reverse mortgage (R.M.) program in Colombia.

Based on the analysis, this work suggests possible government policies to help creditors and to maintain bank risks at a reasonable level.

An adequate reverse mortgage program may help the policymakers in Colombia to face the adverse environment for Colombia’s housing market and the pressure of its pension system. A good R.M. program generates incentives to purchase homes, given the possibility of receiving an additional rent after retirement.

The paper develops an econometrical improvement over previous work. The authors present a time-series analysis that includes stationarity and co-integration information to model the data-generation process of house prices and interest rates in a multivariate fashion. The authors also improve the valuation formula. Moreover, the paper presents a novel application to Colombia. The authors obtain our demographic data from the United Nations Population Division applying the Lee-Carter method to model mortality rates, which provides ample possibilities to extend reverse mortgage assessment to additional. Finally, this is the first scholarly effort to evaluate the R.M. for the Colombian case.

Empirical evidence of the hedging pressure risk premium exists only in the futures contracts with delivery-related options. Since hedging pressure is supposed to exist for all futures contracts, the empirical evidence raises an interesting empirical question: whether the hedging pressure risk premium is in fact the risk premium associated with the delivery-related options. This chapter contains an empirical test of the non-redundancy between the two related but alternative sources of non-market risks. For the test, we employs a futures risk premia model in which the expected futures returns contain the market risk premium (proxied by the equity market risk premium) and two non-market risk premia (proxied by the hedging pressure effect and by the delivery risk premium reflected in the returns of futures options, respectively). Our main finding is that both the hedging pressure and the delivery risk premia are non-redundant and statistically significant for futures contracts with delivery-related options. This finding implies a substantial degree of segmentations between these futures markets and the underlying asset markets.