The Momentum Effect in Country-Level Stock Market Anomalies

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to investigate the momentum effect in country-level anomalies in global equity markets. By using a sample of 78 countries for the period from 1995 to 2015, we test a set of potential 40 cross-sectional inter-market anomalies, some of which had never been examined before. Based on the findings, according to which half of these return patterns serve as reliable and robust sources of returns, we provide convincing evidence that the anomalies with good performance over the past 6-12 months tend to outperform in the future. Furthermore, the study shows that returns on individual country-level strategies are weakly correlated. Consequently, developing a portfolio consisting of past top-performing strategies may constitute a valuable approach for international investors.

Keywords: country-level patterns; equity anomalies, factor investing; international diversification; momentum; returns predictability

JEL Classification: G11, G12, G14, G15