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Changes to mutual fund risk: Intentional or mean reverting?

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  • Cullen, Grant
  • Gasbarro, Dominic
  • Monroe, Gary S.
  • Zumwalt, J. Kenton

Abstract

An empirical issue is whether a mutual fund’s change in intertemporal risk is intentional or arises from risk mean reversion. Our methodology uses actual fund trades to identify funds that actively change risk. Funds that are statistically identified as trading to change return variance or tracking error variance do not exhibit risk mean reversion. Mostly, funds trade to reduce risk and, in particular, tracking error variance. This is most evident for funds that previously attained a low tracking error variance. We find no evidence of a relation between past performance and intended changes to return variance or tracking error variance.

Suggested Citation

  • Cullen, Grant & Gasbarro, Dominic & Monroe, Gary S. & Zumwalt, J. Kenton, 2012. "Changes to mutual fund risk: Intentional or mean reverting?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 112-120.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbfina:v:36:y:2012:i:1:p:112-120
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbankfin.2011.06.011
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Roy, Suvra & Nguyen, Harvey & Visaltanachoti, Nuttawat, 2023. "Be nice to the air: Severe haze pollution and mutual fund risk," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    2. Emmanuel Mamatzakis & Mike G. Tsionas, 2021. "Testing for persistence in US mutual funds’ performance: a Bayesian dynamic panel model," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 299(1), pages 1203-1233, April.
    3. Babalos, Vassilios & Mamatzakis, Emmanuel C. & Matousek, Roman, 2015. "The performance of US equity mutual funds," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 217-229.
    4. Emmanuel Mamatzakis & Mike Tsionas, 2018. "A Bayesian dynamic model to test persistence in funds' performance," Working Paper series 18-23, Rimini Centre for Economic Analysis.
    5. Ha, Yeonjeong & Ko, Kwangsoo, 2017. "Why do fund managers increase risk?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 108-116.
    6. Chia-Ying Chan & Christine W. Lai & Liang-Chung Lee, 2017. "Strategic Choice of Risk: Evidence from Mutual Fund Families," Journal of Financial Services Research, Springer;Western Finance Association, vol. 51(1), pages 125-163, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Mutual funds; Tournament; Mean-reversion; Tracking error; Risk;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • G23 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Non-bank Financial Institutions; Financial Instruments; Institutional Investors

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