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Momentum Trading, Return Chasing and Predictable Crashes

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  • Benjamin Chabot
  • Eric Ghysels
  • Ravi Jagannathan

Abstract

We combine self-collected historical data from 1867 to 1907 with CRSP data from 1926 to 2012, to examine the risk and return over the past 140 years of one of the most popular mechanical trading strategies ? momentum. We find that momentum has earned abnormally high risk-adjusted returns ?a three factor alpha of 1 percent per month between 1927 and 2012 and 0.5 percent per month between 1867 and 1907 ? both statistically significantly different from zero. However, the momentum strategy also exposed investors to large losses (crashes) during both periods. Momentum crashes were predictable ? more likely when momentum recently performed well (both eras), interest rates were relatively low (1867?1907), or momentum had recently outperformed the stock market (CRSP era) ? times when borrowing or attracting return chasing ?blind capital? would have been easier. Based on a stylized model and simulated outcomes from a richer model, we argue that a money manager has an incentive to remain invested in momentum even when the crash risk is known to be high when (1) he competes for funds from return and (2) he is compensated via fees that are convex in the amount of money managed and the return on that money.

Suggested Citation

  • Benjamin Chabot & Eric Ghysels & Ravi Jagannathan, 2014. "Momentum Trading, Return Chasing and Predictable Crashes," Working Paper Series WP-2014-27, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
  • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedhwp:wp-2014-27
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    2. Afees A. Salisu & Juncal Cuñado & Kazeem Isah & Rangan Gupta, 2021. "Stock markets and exchange rate behavior of the BRICS," Journal of Forecasting, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 40(8), pages 1581-1595, December.
    3. Kuk Mo Jung, 2017. "Liquidity Risk And Time-Varying Correlation Between Equity And Currency Returns," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 55(2), pages 898-919, April.
    4. Gino Cenedese & Richard Payne & Lucio Sarno & Giorgio Valente, 2016. "What Do Stock Markets Tell Us about Exchange Rates?," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 20(3), pages 1045-1080.
    5. Alquist, Ron & Chabot, Benjamin R. & Yamarthy, Ram, 2022. "The price of property rights: Institutions, finance, and economic growth," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    6. Adam Zaremba, 2019. "The Cross Section of Country Equity Returns: A Review of Empirical Literature," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-26, October.
    7. Wang, Xinjie & Xiao, Yaqing & Yan, Hongjun & Zhang, Jinfan, 2021. "Under-reaction in the sovereign CDS market," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    8. Dobrynskaya, Victoria, 2019. "Avoiding momentum crashes: Dynamic momentum and contrarian trading," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    9. Lee, Hsiu-Chuan & Lee, Yun-Huan & Lu, Yang-Cheng & Wang, Yu-Chun, 2020. "States of psychological anchors and price behavior of Japanese yen futures," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    10. Renata Guobužaitė & Deimantė Teresienė, 2021. "Can Economic Factors Improve Momentum Trading Strategies? The Case of Managed Futures during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Economies, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-16, May.
    11. Jung, JiYong & Jung, Kuk Mo, 2021. "Stock market uncertainty and uncovered equity parity deviation: Evidence from Asia," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    12. Stephen A. Gorman & Frank J. Fabozzi, 2021. "The ABC’s of the alternative risk premium: academic roots," Journal of Asset Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(6), pages 405-436, October.
    13. Victoria Dobrynskaya, 2017. "Dynamic Momentum and Contrarian Trading," HSE Working papers WP BRP 61/FE/2017, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    14. Aftab, Muhammad & Ahmad, Rubi & Ismail, Izlin, 2018. "Examining the uncovered equity parity in the emerging financial markets," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 233-242.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Momentum; crashes; return chasing;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G1 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets
    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading

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