Volatility timing, sentiment, and the short-term profitability of VIX-based cross-sectional trading strategies

Ding, Wenjie ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2774-5777, Mazouz, Khelifa ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6711-1715 and Wang, Qingwei ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3695-7846 2021. Volatility timing, sentiment, and the short-term profitability of VIX-based cross-sectional trading strategies. Journal of Empirical Finance 63 , pp. 42-56. 10.1016/j.jempfin.2021.05.003

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Abstract

This paper explores the profitability of simple short-term cross-sectional trading strategies based on the implied volatility index (VIX), often referred to as an “investor fear gauge” in the stock market. These strategies involve holding sentiment-prone stocks when VIX is low and sentiment-immune stocks when VIX is high and generate significantly higher excess returns than the benchmark long–short portfolios that do not condition on VIX. We show that the profitability of our trading strategies is not subsumed by the well-known risk factors or transaction cost adjustments. Our findings are consistent with the theory of delayed arbitrage and the synchronization problem of Abreu and Brunnermeier (2002).

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Business (Including Economics)
Publisher:	Elsevier
ISSN:	0927-5398
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	10 June 2021
Date of Acceptance:	2 June 2021
Last Modified:	08 Nov 2023 01:01
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/141861

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