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Fund immunity to the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from Chinese equity funds

Author

Listed:
  • Ling, Aifan
  • Huang, Xinrui
  • Ling, Boya (Vivye)

Abstract

This paper discusses the connection between public equity fund characteristics and performance reactions to COVID-19 using data over 1300 equity funds across 105 Chinese fund companies. Empirical evidences from over 20 fund characteristics show that the liquidity, diversification and pre-2020 Sharpe ratio, fund management abilities, agency costs can determine the fund immunity to COVID-19. Based on these characteristics mentioned, our empirical results can explain why COVID-19-induced drop in fund performance is milder among open-end funds, active funds, ETFs, and growth funds, and also can explain why funds controlled by private companies or by sino-foreign joint ventures or by companies with more independent directors of financial experiences perform better in the pandemic. Our work also provides some valuable suggestions for investors and regulators confronting an exogenous shock.

Suggested Citation

  • Ling, Aifan & Huang, Xinrui & Ling, Boya (Vivye), 2022. "Fund immunity to the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from Chinese equity funds," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecofin:v:63:y:2022:i:c:s1062940822001577
    DOI: 10.1016/j.najef.2022.101822
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Fund characteristic; COVID-19; Fund performance; Fund immunity; Sharpe ratio;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • M14 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility

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