The Importance of Being Politically Connected. The literature on the importance of political connections to firms and their value implications is scant. This project aims to develop a framework that depicts the interplay of political connections, institutional factors, corporate governance, media coverage and firm value. In particular, it investigates how political connections enhance the value of firms in China and how this changes as the market transitions.
Australia’s Climate Strategy and Positioning for the Clean Tech Revolution. The aims of this project are to analyse and benchmark Australia’s climate change strategy and positioning in terms of its readiness to take advantage of a clean technology revolution, and to analyse what the revolution might look like and how it will evolve. Scientific evidence points to the increasingly urgent need for action on climate change and investment in cleaner technologies on a large scale. This need for action ....Australia’s Climate Strategy and Positioning for the Clean Tech Revolution. The aims of this project are to analyse and benchmark Australia’s climate change strategy and positioning in terms of its readiness to take advantage of a clean technology revolution, and to analyse what the revolution might look like and how it will evolve. Scientific evidence points to the increasingly urgent need for action on climate change and investment in cleaner technologies on a large scale. This need for action coincides with emerging policy and technological developments that are already taking place. The project aims to provide new decision-making frameworks for the timing and extent of investments in new technologies. Analysing Australia's positioning and the coming clean technology revolution would benefit policy-makers, corporations and investors.Read moreRead less
Surviving financial crises: a study of the Australian Government securities market. This project assesses the capacity of the Australian Government securities market to meet investor demand in times of financial crises. The outcomes will provide governments in Australia and other countries with the necessary tools to enhance the efficiency of securities markets and to flag liquidity problems in a timely manner.
A Wavelet Multiscaling Approach to Multifactor Asset Pricing Models. Risk and return are two fundamental concepts underlying business decisions involving $millions daily. Even for publicly listed companies risk is difficult to measure, particularly when the time dimension over which decisions are being made is ill-defined - potentially leading to sub-optimal decisions. This project focuses on the time scale question by developing an innovative methodology (based on wavelet multiscaling) that imp ....A Wavelet Multiscaling Approach to Multifactor Asset Pricing Models. Risk and return are two fundamental concepts underlying business decisions involving $millions daily. Even for publicly listed companies risk is difficult to measure, particularly when the time dimension over which decisions are being made is ill-defined - potentially leading to sub-optimal decisions. This project focuses on the time scale question by developing an innovative methodology (based on wavelet multiscaling) that improves our understanding of risk and return. The project will help enhance risk control, and provide improved tools and knowledge to aid formation of superior globally diversified portfolios over different time scales - thereby delivering considerable long-term economic benefits.Read moreRead less
Share Buybacks and Information Asymmetry: Winners and Losers. This study is the first to examine the effectiveness of existing regulations governing share buybacks in Australia. The results will be important for understanding how domestic capital market regulation affects the international competitiveness of Australian companies through their relative cost of capital. It will also assist in ensuring that capital market integrity is increased through the optimal design of regulation and improved ....Share Buybacks and Information Asymmetry: Winners and Losers. This study is the first to examine the effectiveness of existing regulations governing share buybacks in Australia. The results will be important for understanding how domestic capital market regulation affects the international competitiveness of Australian companies through their relative cost of capital. It will also assist in ensuring that capital market integrity is increased through the optimal design of regulation and improved market transparency, and thereby encourage greater participation by investors. The results will assist regulatory agencies in designing market surveillance that identifies signs of insider trading or market manipulation associated with corporate capital management activities.Read moreRead less
Modelling the Optimal Hedge Fund Portfolio Using a Multiscaling Method. Asset allocation theory sits at the heart of modern finance, yet remains something of a conundrum. By developing the a longer-horizon framework to asset allocation involving hedge funds, this project provides a significant insight onto sources of risk-horizon effects on asset allocation and allow us to understand how the exposure of hedge funds to the market risk varies across investment horizons. This allows academics to ....Modelling the Optimal Hedge Fund Portfolio Using a Multiscaling Method. Asset allocation theory sits at the heart of modern finance, yet remains something of a conundrum. By developing the a longer-horizon framework to asset allocation involving hedge funds, this project provides a significant insight onto sources of risk-horizon effects on asset allocation and allow us to understand how the exposure of hedge funds to the market risk varies across investment horizons. This allows academics to address a wide range of problems in optimal asset allocation and performance measurement. In addition, the outcomes can be applied to risk management by practitioners for their international and Australian domestic investors.
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Superannuation Funds: Ensuring the Financial Health of Australians in Retirement. Superannuation is relevant to all Australians, providing a foundation for their lifestyle in retirement. The protection and enhancement of superannuation savings have been high priorities of both government and regulatory agencies. Recent legislative changes include mandated choice of superannuation fund and increased disclosure requirements. Regulators have also flagged the need for increased corporate governance ....Superannuation Funds: Ensuring the Financial Health of Australians in Retirement. Superannuation is relevant to all Australians, providing a foundation for their lifestyle in retirement. The protection and enhancement of superannuation savings have been high priorities of both government and regulatory agencies. Recent legislative changes include mandated choice of superannuation fund and increased disclosure requirements. Regulators have also flagged the need for increased corporate governance among superannuation funds. This project assesses the impact of these developments through an assessment of competition, performance and accountability within the superannuation industry. Monitoring the industry in this way will strongly contribute to the financial and economic health of Australians in retirement.
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Measuring the Effects of Interest Rate Volatility. Interest rate changes have important implications for highly influential macroeconomic variables and, for the investor, have direct implications for asset prices, net worth and future wealth. By considering unresearched areas concerning the behaviour and influence of interest rates our research will be of interest to an academic audience, government, regulators and market practitioners. Attention to Australia, the US and Asia means that the rese ....Measuring the Effects of Interest Rate Volatility. Interest rate changes have important implications for highly influential macroeconomic variables and, for the investor, have direct implications for asset prices, net worth and future wealth. By considering unresearched areas concerning the behaviour and influence of interest rates our research will be of interest to an academic audience, government, regulators and market practitioners. Attention to Australia, the US and Asia means that the research will be directly relevant to Australian decision-makers. Further, the project will yield papers for publication in top international journals, reinforcing Australia's reputation as a leading centre for financial research and enhance it's reputation for cutting-edge work.Read moreRead less
Asset Pricing, Signal Type and Overconfident Investors. Recent bubbles in financial markets and other anxieties with regard to whether financial assets are correctly valued have led to a reduction in the confidence in financial markets. This study, by focussing upon potential biases in the price formation process, will provide strong insights into this important topic. In covering three major equity markets, the project will provide important guidance for the design of regulatory policies on c ....Asset Pricing, Signal Type and Overconfident Investors. Recent bubbles in financial markets and other anxieties with regard to whether financial assets are correctly valued have led to a reduction in the confidence in financial markets. This study, by focussing upon potential biases in the price formation process, will provide strong insights into this important topic. In covering three major equity markets, the project will provide important guidance for the design of regulatory policies on corporate disclosure by both Governments and Stock Exchanges. Given the increased need for funded superannuation/pension schemes, an increase in the confidence in capital market processes will benefit the development of successful funded schemes.Read moreRead less
Financial crises, volatility and sovereign ratings: Do ratings really matter when they are needed most? The stability of Australian financial markets during the Asian financial crisis is a major economic success story. Subsequently, an important policy objective has been in enhancing the capacity of the financial infrastructure in regional financial markets to reduce their exposure to such crises. Recent financial market turmoil dramatically underscores the need to better understand the full myr ....Financial crises, volatility and sovereign ratings: Do ratings really matter when they are needed most? The stability of Australian financial markets during the Asian financial crisis is a major economic success story. Subsequently, an important policy objective has been in enhancing the capacity of the financial infrastructure in regional financial markets to reduce their exposure to such crises. Recent financial market turmoil dramatically underscores the need to better understand the full myriad of factors that feed into this challenging concern. One critical area of debate is whether or not rating agencies play a calming role. This project will deliver insights that aid development of the financial infrastructure to cope better with such crises and retain investor confidence.Read moreRead less