This study examines the impact of option on South African’s capital markets over the period 1991–2020. Using put–call open interest ratios (PCOIR) and put–call volume ratios (PCVR), we test whether option sentiment provides predictive signals beyond conventional macro-financial variables. Applying quantile regression with robustness checks for asymmetry, regime dependence, and macro-financial interactions, we find that option sentiment significantly predicts equity and bond returns, with bearish signals exerting stronger effects than bullish ones. The predictive influence intensifies during periods of heightened volatility and financial stress, and its strength varies with liquidity conditions and monetary policy stance.
Overall, the findings show that option sentiment is both a reflection of investor expectations and a driver of asset price dynamics, underscoring its informational role in South Africa’s capital markets.
Understanding the role of the exchange rate behaviour in domestic prices is crucial for monetary authorities in anticipating inflation. Over the last 28 years (1994 – 2022), the inflation rate in South Africa has increased, averaging at 5.7% per year. It is believed that some of the increase in the inflation rate is a result of trade, hence this study aims at identifying how much of the changes in the exchange rate is passed on to domestic inflation. This idea is of interest in a country like South Africa that had implemented inflation targeting. The study identifies two channels of the exchange rate pass-through (ERPT); direct and indirect. the direct involves the change in import prices that is associated with the change in the exchange rate. The indirect channel involves the change in consumer price index (CPI) and the producer price index (PPI) that is associated with a change in import prices. The study uses monthly data from 1994 – 2022 to identify the speed and the magnitude of the exchange rate pass-through to domestic prices in the short-run and the long-run. Using the vector autoregressive model (VAR) and the vector error correction model the results shows that the magnitude of the exchange rate pass-through to import prices is relatively higher than the exchange pass-through to the CPI and PPI and that import prices; CPI and PPI increases immediately after an increase in the exchange rate.
Country risk is one of major determinants of investors’ decisions in pursuit of diversification opportunities and equity portfolio returns maximisation. This study investigates the effect of disaggregated country risk on South African global equity portfolio returns under fluctuating market conditions. Markov regime switching model was applied monthly data from January 2000 to December 2019. The study findings revealed that the foreign equity portfolio market moves between inefficiency and efficiency. Implying that country risks impact equity portfolio returns in foreign countries and the latter changes with market conditions. The results also indicated that more equity portfolios stay in bear market for extended periods compared to the amount of time spent in bull market. In other words, foreign portfolio equity market has been dominated by declining returns over the sample period. Additionally, all the assessed portfolios were affected by the country risk components. Yet, political risk proved to have dominant effect on foreign portfolios than other risk components. Consequently, political risk cannot be diversified through investing in alternative foreign portfolios.
This paper empirically investigates the association between different components of government spending and private investment in South Africa. Using autoregressive distributed lags (ARDL) analysis, we examine data span5ning from 2005q2 and 2022q1. Our results reveal distinct impacts of various government spending components on private investment. Specifically, we find that education spending has a significant effect in the long run but lacks significant short-term impact. Moreover, expenditures on housing and environmental protection stimulate investment, indicating a crowding-in effect. Conversely, health spending shows a negative long-term effect on investment, although its short-term impact is not significant. Notably, military expenditure is found to detrimentally affect private investment in South Africa. Our findings suggest the potential for reallocating resources among different spending categories without necessarily undermining investment. Furthermore, they underscore the potential for enhancing investment and fostering growth in South Africa by channelling more resources toward education, environmental protection, and housing.
Copyright © 2024