The Effect of Market Regimes on Style Allocation

Financial Markets and Portfolio Management, Vol. 20, No. 3, pp. 309-337, 2006

Posted: 17 Sep 2006

See all articles by Manuel Ammann

Manuel Ammann

University of St. Gallen - School of Finance

Michael Verhofen

University of St. Gallen - Swiss Institute of Banking and Finance

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Abstract

We analyse time-varying risk premia and the implications for portfolio choice. Using Markov ChainMonte Carlo (MCMC) methods, we estimate a multivariate regime-switching model for the Carhart (1997) four-factor model. We find two clearly separable regimes with different mean returns, volatilities, and correlations. In the High-Variance Regime, only value stocks deliver a good performance, whereas in the Low-Variance Regime, the market portfolio and momentum stocks promise high returns. Regime-switching induces investors to change their portfolio style over time depending on the investment horizon, the risk aversion, and the prevailing regime. Value investing seems to be a rational strategy in the High-Variance Regime, momentum investing in the Low-Variance Regime. An empirical out-of-sample backtest indicates that this switching strategy can be profitable, but the overall forecasting ability for the regime-switching model seems to be weak compared to the iid model.

Keywords: Regime switching, Style investing, Markov Chain Monte Carlo, Tactical asset allocation

JEL Classification: G11, G12, G14

Suggested Citation

Ammann, Manuel and Verhofen, Michael, The Effect of Market Regimes on Style Allocation. Financial Markets and Portfolio Management, Vol. 20, No. 3, pp. 309-337, 2006, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=930583

Manuel Ammann (Contact Author)

University of St. Gallen - School of Finance ( email )

Unterer Graben 21
St.Gallen, CH-9000
Switzerland

Michael Verhofen

University of St. Gallen - Swiss Institute of Banking and Finance ( email )

CH-9000
Switzerland

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