Exchange-Traded Funds, Persistence in Tracking Errors and Information Dissemination

35 Pages Posted: 30 Jul 2011

See all articles by Sangheon Shin

Sangheon Shin

Alabama State University

Gokce Soydemir

California State University, Stanislaus

Date Written: 2010

Abstract

We estimate tracking errors from 26 exchange-traded funds (ETFs) utilizing three different methods and test their relative performance using Jensen’s model. We find that tracking errors are significantly different from zero and display persistence. Based on Jensen’s alpha, risk adjusted returns are significantly inferior to benchmark returns for all ETFs with two exceptions at conventional significance levels revealing that passive investment strategy does not outperform market returns. We then examine the degree to which frequently used factors such as expense ratio, dividends, exchange rate and spreads of trading prices may be underlying sources of tracking errors causing this underperformance. We find that the change in the exchange rate is a significant source of tracking errors. Our serial correlation test, runs test and panel regression analysis reveal that Asian markets display relatively greater persistence and therefore are less efficient in disseminating information and noisier in filtering the information contained in returns.

Keywords: Exchange-Traded Funds,Tracking Errors, Persistence

JEL Classification: G12, G14, G15

Suggested Citation

Shin, Sangheon and Soydemir, Gokce, Exchange-Traded Funds, Persistence in Tracking Errors and Information Dissemination (2010). Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Vol. 20, Nos. 4-5, 2010, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1896515

Sangheon Shin (Contact Author)

Alabama State University ( email )

P.O. Box 271
Montgomery, AL 36101-0271
United States
334-229-6831 (Phone)

Gokce Soydemir

California State University, Stanislaus ( email )

Turlock, CA 95382
United States

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