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Since 2008, bitcoin has continued to attract investors due to its growing capitalization and opportunity for speculation. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of bitcoin (BTC) on gold, the volatility index (VIX) and the dollar index (USDX).

The series used are weekly and cover the period from January 2016 to November 2022. To generate the results, the unrestricted vector autoregression (VAR), structural vector autoregression (SVAR) and wavelet coherence were performed.

The findings are mixed as not all tests show the exact effects of BTC in the three asset classes. However, common to all the tests is the significant influence that BTC maintains on gold and vice versa. The positive shock in BTC significantly increases the gold prices, confirmed in three different tests. The effects on the VIX and USDX are still being determined, where in some tests, it appears to be influential while in others not.

BTC’s diversification potential with equity stocks and USDX makes it a valuable security for portfolio managers. Furthermore, regulatory authorities should consider that BTC is not an isolated phenomenon and can significantly influence other asset classes such as gold.

Paper aims to investigate the interdependencies and spillover effects that the Visegrad (V4 hereafter) Equity Markets hold on each other. The V4 group stands for the political alliance of four Central European countries: Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia.

The study uses Wavelet coherence, dynamic conditional correlation GARCH (1, 1) and unrestricted vector autoregression (VAR) methodologies. Daily data series (covering the period from January 2, 2006, to February 2, 2023) are analyzed to assess coherence, time-varying conditional correlation and shock transmission among the V4 Equity Markets.

Wavelet analysis reveals that the Slovak equity market does not maintain coherence with three other equity markets. The time-varying conditional correlation documents for the high interdependence during the COVID-19 outbreak of the four indexes. The VAR estimates reveal that shocks in the Warsaw equity market are easily transmitted in Prague and Budapest exchanges but not in Bratislava. The results show that the Slovak equity market tends to be isolated from the influence of other three V4 exchanges. This isolation is attributed to its size, limited volume and adoption of the euro in 2009. The study emphasizes the Slovak financial system’s gravitation toward the Eurozone after euro adoption.

Notably, the findings provide important signals for local and international investors as the results cover four significant international shocks. The global meltdown of 2008/09, the Greek debt crisis of 2010/11, the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.