Graduation Year

2012

Publication Date

Spring 2012

Abstract

As of 2010, there was $14 trillion invested in the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and $55 trillion invested in stock markets worldwide. In this study, we use the Arbitrage Pricing Theory (APT) to identify the main determinants of the returns of the stocks that compose the Dow Jones for the period 1990-2011. We test several hypotheses on the relationship between firm specific variables such as Dividend Yield, Earnings Yield, Book-Market ratio, previous returns and the stock returns. We also document the relationship between several macroeconomic factors including T-bill rate, Default Spread, Term Spread, Unemployment, Real GDP and Inflation and stock returns. Our results indicate a significant relationship between Earnings Yield, Past Return, Unemployment, Inflation, Term Spread, T-bill rate, Real GDP and the stock returns.

Disciplines

Business | Finance and Financial Management

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