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Non-Gaussian diversification: When size matters

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  • Desmoulins-Lebeault, François
  • Kharoubi-Rakotomalala, Cécile

Abstract

Classical portfolio theory informs investors that they should have a large number of assets in their portfolios in order to diversify risk. We show that the non-Gaussian features of stock return distribution may not allow for this risk protection in times of crisis. Moreover, we demonstrate empirically that, if investors are risk-averse and consider higher order moments, they have numerous incentives not to diversify their portfolios fully. This is caused by the evolution of both large losses and asymmetry of returns when the numbers of assets in a portfolio change.

Suggested Citation

  • Desmoulins-Lebeault, François & Kharoubi-Rakotomalala, Cécile, 2012. "Non-Gaussian diversification: When size matters," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 36(7), pages 1987-1996.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbfina:v:36:y:2012:i:7:p:1987-1996
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbankfin.2012.03.006
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    2. Ignatieva, Katja & Landsman, Zinoviy, 2019. "Conditional tail risk measures for the skewed generalised hyperbolic family," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 98-114.
    3. Lassance, Nathan & Vrins, Frédéric, 2023. "Portfolio selection: A target-distribution approach," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 310(1), pages 302-314.
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    5. Delatte, Anne-Laure & Lopez, Claude, 2013. "Commodity and equity markets: Some stylized facts from a copula approach," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(12), pages 5346-5356.
    6. Georg Mainik & Georgi Mitov & Ludger Ruschendorf, 2015. "Portfolio optimization for heavy-tailed assets: Extreme Risk Index vs. Markowitz," Papers 1505.04045, arXiv.org.
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    8. Ignatieva, Katja & Landsman, Zinoviy, 2021. "A class of generalised hyper-elliptical distributions and their applications in computing conditional tail risk measures," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(PB), pages 437-465.
    9. Guillén, Montserrat & Sarabia, José María & Prieto, Faustino, 2013. "Simple risk measure calculations for sums of positive random variables," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(1), pages 273-280.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Diversification benefits; Asymmetric diversification; Non-Gaussian distributions;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • G15 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - International Financial Markets

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