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Why did French Savers buy Foreign Assets before 1914? A Decomposition of the Benefits from Diversification

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  • David Le Bris

Abstract

This paper examines the question as to whether, before 1914, French savers bought foreign assets to gain higher foreign returns or because of low correlation. Using tools of the Modern Portfolio Theory, the benefit from international diversification is decomposed into these two components, using a counterfactual hypothesis of perfect correlation between two assets. This approach allows an original measure of the respective share of the higher foreign returns and the low correlation in the benefit of diversification. The argument is put forward that French investors were mainly attracted by weak foreign correlation with domestic assets, rather than higher foreign returns. JEL Classification: G11, G15, N23.

Suggested Citation

  • David Le Bris, 2013. "Why did French Savers buy Foreign Assets before 1914? A Decomposition of the Benefits from Diversification," Recherches économiques de Louvain, De Boeck Université, vol. 79(3), pages 71-89.
    • Handle: RePEc:cai:reldbu:rel_793_0071
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Rebecca Stuart, 2024. "Measuring stock market integration during the Gold Standard," Cliometrica, Journal of Historical Economics and Econometric History, Association Française de Cliométrie (AFC), vol. 18(1), pages 191-220, January.
    2. Rui Esteves & João Tovar Jalles, 2016. "Like Father Like Sons? The Cost of Sovereign Defaults in Reduced Credit to the Private Sector," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 48(7), pages 1515-1545, October.
    3. Annaert, Jan & Verdickt, Gertjan, 2021. "Go active or stay passive: Investment trust, financial innovation and diversification in Belgium's early days," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    portfolio diversification; home bias; 19th century;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • G15 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - International Financial Markets
    • N23 - Economic History - - Financial Markets and Institutions - - - Europe: Pre-1913

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