Cycles and Size: Long Term Valuation and Investment Performance. This project will significantly enhance our understanding of the cyclical variation in the returns and volatility of size-related equity classes. A better understanding of these cyclical phenomena may also lead to improvements in the asset allocation process, in particular the investment in medium- and
small-sized enterprise shares. The current neglect by analysts and reluctance of institutional investors to research and invest in ....Cycles and Size: Long Term Valuation and Investment Performance. This project will significantly enhance our understanding of the cyclical variation in the returns and volatility of size-related equity classes. A better understanding of these cyclical phenomena may also lead to improvements in the asset allocation process, in particular the investment in medium- and
small-sized enterprise shares. The current neglect by analysts and reluctance of institutional investors to research and invest in this sizable market segment offers significant opportunities for linkage research. This project will focus on the valuation, (il)liquidity, and macroeconomic sources of momentum profits as they related to the economic cycle, across the size spectrum.
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Creating Sustainability-Oriented Fintech Lending Platforms in Australia. This project aims to investigate how FinTech lending companies can use customers' environmental information to access their creditworthiness, and whether lending decisions based on environmental information can promote pro-environmental behaviour and expedite the societal transformation towards a low-carbon economy. These aims will be achieved through a quantitative analysis that evaluates the use of a customer's "carbon fo ....Creating Sustainability-Oriented Fintech Lending Platforms in Australia. This project aims to investigate how FinTech lending companies can use customers' environmental information to access their creditworthiness, and whether lending decisions based on environmental information can promote pro-environmental behaviour and expedite the societal transformation towards a low-carbon economy. These aims will be achieved through a quantitative analysis that evaluates the use of a customer's "carbon footprint" for predicting default risk, and a field experiment that analyses the economic and environmental benefits of the proposal. The project intends to develop a new approach that contributes to developing a sustainable lending platform for Fintech firms and establishing sustainable FinTech standards for policymakers.Read moreRead less
Risk and Prudential Regulation and Supervision of Australian Financial Institutions. The project seeks to enhance the effectiveness of prudential regulation and supervision of financial institutions (FIs) by examining the risk of FIs, as reflected in default risk premiums on FI international debt issues and variability of revenue/profitability measures, and the effect of broadening FI activities and the shift towards fee/commission income on FI risk. This forms the basis for the development and ....Risk and Prudential Regulation and Supervision of Australian Financial Institutions. The project seeks to enhance the effectiveness of prudential regulation and supervision of financial institutions (FIs) by examining the risk of FIs, as reflected in default risk premiums on FI international debt issues and variability of revenue/profitability measures, and the effect of broadening FI activities and the shift towards fee/commission income on FI risk. This forms the basis for the development and testing of statistical early warning systems of impending financial problems in Australian FIs. The models are compared with examiner rating systems currently used in prudential supervision.Read moreRead less
An Empirical Examination of Non-Market Capitalisation Weighted Indices in Australia. If Australian fund managers switched from capital weighted indices to fundamental weighted indices, due to their greater efficiency, millions of Australians may have more money at retirement and thus reduce the burden on government to supplement their retirement income. Also, providing practical industry directed research, and PhD graduates in portfolio management will enhance both finance academia and industry ....An Empirical Examination of Non-Market Capitalisation Weighted Indices in Australia. If Australian fund managers switched from capital weighted indices to fundamental weighted indices, due to their greater efficiency, millions of Australians may have more money at retirement and thus reduce the burden on government to supplement their retirement income. Also, providing practical industry directed research, and PhD graduates in portfolio management will enhance both finance academia and industry and improve the quality and breadth of finance practice and research in Australia. Read moreRead less
Financial Risk Tolerance: Gender, Market Stress and Related Issues. Financial risk tolerance (FRT) refers to an investor's attitude towards risk - the uncertainty they are willing to accept when making financial decisions. This project will explore: (a) the role/impact that an aging/female dominated society will have and (b) the behaviour/nature of FRT around times of 'market stress' (eg market crashes). We will do this using the extensive database of FinaMetrica, initially on Australian data, ....Financial Risk Tolerance: Gender, Market Stress and Related Issues. Financial risk tolerance (FRT) refers to an investor's attitude towards risk - the uncertainty they are willing to accept when making financial decisions. This project will explore: (a) the role/impact that an aging/female dominated society will have and (b) the behaviour/nature of FRT around times of 'market stress' (eg market crashes). We will do this using the extensive database of FinaMetrica, initially on Australian data, extending to the US and UK. FRT is fundamental to advice financial planners provide clients - affecting long-term portfolio decisions/retirement planning. Improving understanding of FRT will greatly enhance the future welfare of all.Read moreRead less
Religion, Finance and Ethics: Islamic and conventional perspectives on shared principles, practices, and financial institutions and instruments. By linking together specialists in finance, banking and religious history, with the Muslim Community Cooperative (Australia), this project explores communication and mutual benefit between international Islamic finance and conventional Western finance. It will propose new financial structures and instruments to expand the scope of Islamic finance, to m ....Religion, Finance and Ethics: Islamic and conventional perspectives on shared principles, practices, and financial institutions and instruments. By linking together specialists in finance, banking and religious history, with the Muslim Community Cooperative (Australia), this project explores communication and mutual benefit between international Islamic finance and conventional Western finance. It will propose new financial structures and instruments to expand the scope of Islamic finance, to maximise lending and investment opportunities in Australia, and to promote interaction between the Islamic and conventional financial sectors. The project will enable Australian researchers to work with international authorities in Islamic finance, promoting dialogue between Islamic and other groups, and increase investment and development within the Australian financial market.Read moreRead less
Impacts of International Financial Reporting Standards adoption on cost of equity capital, financial statement value-relevance, and firms' financing and investment strategies. The project's insights will assist policy makers to assess, progress and promote approaches to global economic and governance policy reforms. AIFRS adoption disturbs the financial markets equilibria previously struck under Australian accounting standards. Understanding this impact helps underpin micro- and macro- economi ....Impacts of International Financial Reporting Standards adoption on cost of equity capital, financial statement value-relevance, and firms' financing and investment strategies. The project's insights will assist policy makers to assess, progress and promote approaches to global economic and governance policy reforms. AIFRS adoption disturbs the financial markets equilibria previously struck under Australian accounting standards. Understanding this impact helps underpin micro- and macro- economic strategies and policy developments relying upon the role of financial reporting. It also assists capital markets to adapt to the new reporting environment, thus increasing capital allocation effectiveness and efficiency.
Australia's position as an early IFRS adopting nation enables the project to facilitate Australia's international leadership in global economic policy development. Read moreRead less
Risk management policies and practices of major Australian firms. High profile corporate failures attributable to incorrect hedging strategies have recently drawn attention to corporate financial risk management, although its important role in financial management is far more ubiquitous and pervasive. The project will shed light on the internal processes of corporate risk management which previous studies have not addressed. It will produce a 'stock-take' of current practices enabling assessment ....Risk management policies and practices of major Australian firms. High profile corporate failures attributable to incorrect hedging strategies have recently drawn attention to corporate financial risk management, although its important role in financial management is far more ubiquitous and pervasive. The project will shed light on the internal processes of corporate risk management which previous studies have not addressed. It will produce a 'stock-take' of current practices enabling assessment against theoretical models and identification of current 'best practice'. Against this backdrop, Australian firms will be able to assess the merits of their current policies and practices, and assist corporate outsiders (regulators, analysts, researchers) in better understanding corporate risk management. Read moreRead less
An Evaluation of the Morningstar System of Managed Fund Ratings in Australia and New Zealand. This project evaluates the Morningstar system of rating managed funds. Fund ratings considerably influence who manages A$590 billion (June 2000 - AXISS Australia) in investment funds and are thus important to the efficient operation of the Australian capital market. Key project elements are: (1) thorough investigation of the domestic Morningstar ratings methodology, identifying its strengths and weaknes ....An Evaluation of the Morningstar System of Managed Fund Ratings in Australia and New Zealand. This project evaluates the Morningstar system of rating managed funds. Fund ratings considerably influence who manages A$590 billion (June 2000 - AXISS Australia) in investment funds and are thus important to the efficient operation of the Australian capital market. Key project elements are: (1) thorough investigation of the domestic Morningstar ratings methodology, identifying its strengths and weaknesses; (2) comparison of the US and Australasian methodologies; (3) analysis of the predictive ability of ratings; (4) an investigation into the feasibility of rating funds on stock selection and market timing; and (5) an investigation of the impact of Morningstar ratings on fund flows.Read moreRead less