Exchange Traded Funds and Asset Return Correlations
56 Pages Posted: 8 Oct 2012 Last revised: 15 Mar 2016
Date Written: March 1, 2016
Abstract
We provide novel evidence supporting the notion that arbitrageurs can contribute to return comovement via ETF arbitrage. Using a large sample of U.S. equity ETF holdings, we document the link between measures of ETF activity and return comovement at both the fund and the stock levels, after controlling for a host of variables and fixed effects and by exploiting the “discontinuity” between stock indices. The effect is also stronger among small and illiquid stocks. An examination of ETF return autocorrelations and stock lagged beta provides evidence for price reversal, suggesting that some ETF-driven return comovement may be excessive.
Keywords: exchange-traded funds, correlation
JEL Classification: G14, G23
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation