IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jjrfmx/v15y2022i6p241-d826298.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Optimal Portfolio Allocation between Global Stock Indexes and Safe Haven Assets: Gold versus the Swiss Franc (1999–2021)

Author

Listed:
  • Marco Tronzano

    (Department of Economics, School of Social Sciences, University of Genoa, Via Vivaldi 5, 16126 Genoa, Italy)

Abstract

This paper contributes to the literature on safe haven assets, analyzing gold and the Swiss Franc’s defensive properties inside various global stocks portfolios. The analysis relies on monthly data extending over the last two decades. Drawing on Multivariate Garch DCC models, the hedging effectiveness of bivariate Swiss Franc-hedged portfolios is found to be notably higher than that of gold-hedged portfolios. Value-at-Risk simulations, assuming equal or “optimal” portfolio weights, confirm these results inside a multivariate asset framework, while a regression approach with quantile dummies provides further support in this regard. Since the better hedge and safe haven properties of the Swiss Franc are likely to persist in the future, the main policy implication of the paper concerns asset allocation strategies giving relatively more weight to the Swiss currency in global stock portfolios.

Suggested Citation

  • Marco Tronzano, 2022. "Optimal Portfolio Allocation between Global Stock Indexes and Safe Haven Assets: Gold versus the Swiss Franc (1999–2021)," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-24, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jjrfmx:v:15:y:2022:i:6:p:241-:d:826298
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1911-8074/15/6/241/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1911-8074/15/6/241/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Engle, Robert F. & Kroner, Kenneth F., 1995. "Multivariate Simultaneous Generalized ARCH," Econometric Theory, Cambridge University Press, vol. 11(1), pages 122-150, February.
    2. Lorenzo Cappiello & Robert F. Engle & Kevin Sheppard, 2006. "Asymmetric Dynamics in the Correlations of Global Equity and Bond Returns," Journal of Financial Econometrics, Oxford University Press, vol. 4(4), pages 537-572.
    3. Ilyes Abid & Abderrazak Dhaoui & Stéphane Goutte & Khaled Guesmi, 2020. "Hedging and diversification across commodity assets," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(23), pages 2472-2492, May.
    4. Dirk G. Baur & Brian M. Lucey, 2010. "Is Gold a Hedge or a Safe Haven? An Analysis of Stocks, Bonds and Gold," The Financial Review, Eastern Finance Association, vol. 45(2), pages 217-229, May.
    5. Jean-Pierre Danthine & Samuel Danthine, 2018. "On the rewards to international investing: a safe haven currency perspective," Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics, Springer;Swiss Society of Economics and Statistics, vol. 154(1), pages 1-12, December.
    6. Pesaran, M.H., 2010. "Conditional Volatility and Correlations of Weekly Returns and the VaR Analysis of 2008 Stock Market," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 1025, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    7. Peter Kugler & Beatrice Weder, 2004. "International Portfolio Holdings and Swiss Franc Asset Returns," Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics (SJES), Swiss Society of Economics and Statistics (SSES), vol. 140(III), pages 301-325, September.
    8. Fink, Fabian & Frei, Lukas & Gloede, Oliver, 2022. "Global risk sentiment and the Swiss franc: A time-varying daily factor decomposition model," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    9. Hussain Shahzad, Syed Jawad & Bouri, Elie & Roubaud, David & Kristoufek, Ladislav, 2020. "Safe haven, hedge and diversification for G7 stock markets: Gold versus bitcoin," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 212-224.
    10. Pesaran, Bahram & Pesaran, M. Hashem, 2010. "Conditional volatility and correlations of weekly returns and the VaR analysis of 2008 stock market crash," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 27(6), pages 1398-1416, November.
    11. Ratner, Mitchell & Chiu, Chih-Chieh (Jason), 2013. "Hedging stock sector risk with credit default swaps," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 18-25.
    12. Chan, Kalok & Yang, Jian & Zhou, Yinggang, 2018. "Conditional co-skewness and safe-haven currencies: A regime switching approach," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 58-80.
    13. Dua, Pami & Tuteja, Divya, 2016. "Financial crises and dynamic linkages across international stock and currency markets," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 249-261.
    14. Kang-Soek Lee, 2017. "Safe-haven currency: An empirical identification," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(4), pages 924-947, September.
    15. Peter Kugler & Beatrice Weder, 2004. "International Portfolio Holdings and Swiss Franc Asset Returns," Swiss Journal of Economics and Statistics (SJES), Swiss Society of Economics and Statistics (SSES), vol. 140(III), pages 301-325, September.
    16. Cho, Dooyeon & Han, Heejoon, 2021. "The tail behavior of safe haven currencies: A cross-quantilogram analysis," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    17. Imran Yousaf & Elie Bouri & Shoaib Ali & Nehme Azoury, 2021. "Gold against Asian Stock Markets during the COVID-19 Outbreak," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-23, April.
    18. Wajdi Hamma & Ahmed Ghorbel & Anis Jarboui, 2021. "Hedging Islamic and conventional stock markets with other financial assets: comparison between competing DCC models on hedging effectiveness," Journal of Asset Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(3), pages 179-199, May.
    19. Kroner, Kenneth F & Ng, Victor K, 1998. "Modeling Asymmetric Comovements of Asset Returns," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 11(4), pages 817-844.
    20. William F. Sharpe, 1964. "Capital Asset Prices: A Theory Of Market Equilibrium Under Conditions Of Risk," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 19(3), pages 425-442, September.
    21. Dong, Xiyong & Li, Changhong & Yoon, Seong-Min, 2021. "How can investors build a better portfolio in small open economies? Evidence from Asia’s Four Little Dragons," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    22. Ji, Qiang & Zhang, Dayong & Zhao, Yuqian, 2020. "Searching for safe-haven assets during the COVID-19 pandemic," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. BenMabrouk, Houda & Sassi, Syrine & Soltane, Feriel & Abid, Ilyes, 2024. "Connectedness and portfolio hedging between NFTs segments, American stocks and cryptocurrencies Nexus," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).

    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. Xu, Lei & Kinkyo, Takuji, 2023. "Hedging effectiveness of bitcoin and gold: Evidence from G7 stock markets," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    2. Lukáš Frýd, 2018. "Asymetrie během finančních krizí: asymetrická volatilita převyšuje důležitost asymetrické korelace [Asymmetry of Financial Time Series During the Financial Crisis: Asymmetric Volatility Outperforms," Politická ekonomie, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2018(3), pages 302-329.
    3. Akhtaruzzaman, Md & Boubaker, Sabri & Lucey, Brian M. & Sensoy, Ahmet, 2021. "Is gold a hedge or a safe-haven asset in the COVID–19 crisis?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    4. N.S. Al-Nassar & Sabri Boubaker & A. Chaibi & B. Makram, 2023. "In Search of Hedges and Safe Havens during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Gold versus Bitcoin, Oil, and Oil Uncertainty," Post-Print hal-04435437, HAL.
    5. Chemkha, Rahma & BenSaïda, Ahmed & Ghorbel, Ahmed & Tayachi, Tahar, 2021. "Hedge and safe haven properties during COVID-19: Evidence from Bitcoin and gold," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 71-85.
    6. Al-Nassar, Nassar S. & Boubaker, Sabri & Chaibi, Anis & Makram, Beljid, 2023. "In search of hedges and safe havens during the COVID─19 pandemic: Gold versus Bitcoin, oil, and oil uncertainty," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 318-332.
    7. Marco Tronzano, 2021. "Financial Crises, Macroeconomic Variables, and Long-Run Risk: An Econometric Analysis of Stock Returns Correlations (2000 to 2019)," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-25, March.
    8. Arfaoui, Nadia & Yousaf, Imran & Jareño, Francisco, 2023. "Return and volatility connectedness between gold and energy markets: Evidence from the pre- and post-COVID vaccination phases," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 617-634.
    9. Tarchella, Salma & Khalfaoui, Rabeh & Hammoudeh, Shawkat, 2024. "The safe haven, hedging, and diversification properties of oil, gold, and cryptocurrency for the G7 equity markets: Evidence from the pre- and post-COVID-19 periods," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(PB).
    10. Echaust, Krzysztof & Just, Małgorzata, 2022. "Is gold still a safe haven for stock markets? New insights through the tail thickness of portfolio return distributions," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    11. Ustaoglu, Erkan, 2023. "Diversification, hedge, and safe-haven properties of gold and bitcoin with portfolio implications during the Russia–Ukraine war," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    12. Just, Małgorzata & Echaust, Krzysztof, 2024. "Cryptocurrencies against stock market risk: New insights into hedging effectiveness," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(PA).
    13. Morema, Kgotso & Bonga-Bonga, Lumengo, 2020. "The impact of oil and gold price fluctuations on the South African equity market: Volatility spillovers and financial policy implications," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    14. Salisu, Afees A. & Vo, Xuan Vinh & Lucey, Brian, 2021. "Gold and US sectoral stocks during COVID-19 pandemic," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    15. Ali, Sajid & Raza, Naveed & Vinh Vo, Xuan & Le, Van, 2022. "Modelling the joint dynamics of financial assets using MGARCH family models: Insights into hedging and diversification strategies," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    16. Ustaoglu, Erkan, 2022. "Safe-haven properties and portfolio applications of cryptocurrencies: Evidence from the emerging markets," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 47(PB).
    17. Dong, Xiyong & Li, Changhong & Yoon, Seong-Min, 2021. "How can investors build a better portfolio in small open economies? Evidence from Asia’s Four Little Dragons," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    18. Abuzayed, Bana & Al-Fayoumi, Nedal & Bouri, Elie, 2022. "Hedging UK stock portfolios with gold and oil: The impact of Brexit," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    19. Yousaf, Imran & Suleman, Muhammad Tahir & Demirer, Riza, 2022. "Green investments: A luxury good or a financial necessity?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    20. Hasan, Md. Bokhtiar & Rashid, Md. Mamunur & Shafiullah, Muhammad & Sarker, Tapan, 2022. "How resilient are Islamic financial markets during the COVID-19 pandemic?," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).

    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:gam:jjrfmx:v:15:y:2022:i:6:p:241-:d:826298. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.