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Challenges in the Era of Globalization - iaabd

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<strong>Challenges</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Era</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Globalization</strong><br />

Edited by Emmanuel Obuah<br />

F<strong>in</strong>ally, highly illiquid markets are associated with larger price sw<strong>in</strong>gs as stock prices could change<br />

significantly and abruptly if an illiquid stock experiences trad<strong>in</strong>g activity. In terms <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> number <strong>of</strong> listed<br />

firms, we expected a positive relationship between <strong>the</strong> number <strong>of</strong> listed firms and portfolio <strong>in</strong>vestments.<br />

This is because <strong>the</strong> number <strong>of</strong> listed firms can proxy for stock market size. We expect that bigger stock<br />

markets will be better able to attract <strong>in</strong>vestor <strong>in</strong>terest. Our empirical f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gs confirm this hypo<strong>the</strong>sis.<br />

We expected a positive sign between f<strong>in</strong>ancial openness and portfolio <strong>in</strong>vestments. This means that<br />

<strong>in</strong>creases <strong>in</strong> f<strong>in</strong>ancial openness should lead to more portfolio <strong>in</strong>vestments. We do not f<strong>in</strong>d evidence that<br />

capital account openness has promoted foreign equity portfolio <strong>in</strong>vestment flows on <strong>the</strong> cont<strong>in</strong>ent. We<br />

expected a priori a negative relationship between economic <strong>in</strong>stability and portfolio <strong>in</strong>vestment flows. We<br />

expected that foreign <strong>in</strong>vestors will be attracted to and <strong>in</strong>vest larger amounts <strong>in</strong> more economically stable<br />

countries. Contrary to our expectations, <strong>the</strong> results show an <strong>in</strong>significant relationship between <strong>the</strong><br />

economic climate and <strong>the</strong> asset allocation decisions <strong>of</strong> foreign <strong>in</strong>vestors. We expected a positive and<br />

significant relationship between political stability and foreign equity portfolio <strong>in</strong>vestments. This is<br />

because more stable countries are expected to receive higher portfolio <strong>in</strong>vestments. The results for<br />

political stability however do not show statistical significance <strong>in</strong> all estimations. We expected a negative<br />

relationship between <strong>in</strong>come and foreign equity portfolio <strong>in</strong>vestment flows. This is because we expect<br />

that capital flows will move from richer to poorer countries. Therefore poorer countries should receive<br />

more capital flows. The signs are consistently negative <strong>in</strong> all estimations but aga<strong>in</strong> do not show statistical<br />

significance. In terms <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sav<strong>in</strong>gs rate, a priori, we expected a negative relationship between <strong>the</strong> level<br />

<strong>of</strong> sav<strong>in</strong>gs and portfolio equity <strong>in</strong>vestment flows. This is because countries with higher sav<strong>in</strong>gs rate are<br />

likely to have less need for foreign portfolio <strong>in</strong>vestments. We f<strong>in</strong>d no evidence that this is actually <strong>the</strong><br />

case.<br />

We expected a negative relationship between <strong>in</strong>stitutional quality and foreign equity portfolio <strong>in</strong>vestment<br />

flows. This means that a reduction <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>dex signify<strong>in</strong>g higher <strong>in</strong>stitutional quality should lead to<br />

higher portfolio <strong>in</strong>vestments. We f<strong>in</strong>d no evidence as to <strong>the</strong> positive role <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>stitutional quality <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

determ<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>of</strong> foreign equity portfolio <strong>in</strong>vestment flows. F<strong>in</strong>ally, we expected a negative relationship<br />

between exchange rate volatility and foreign equity portfolio <strong>in</strong>vestments. This is because higher<br />

exchange rate volatility may deter foreign <strong>in</strong>vestors from <strong>in</strong>vest<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> African equity markets. This is<br />

because when <strong>in</strong>vestors <strong>in</strong>vest outside <strong>the</strong>ir borders, <strong>the</strong>ir returns are made up <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> returns on <strong>the</strong><br />

<strong>in</strong>vestment as well as <strong>the</strong> change <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> exchange rate. If <strong>the</strong> exchange rate moves and <strong>the</strong> currency<br />

underly<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>vestment depreciates it detracts from <strong>the</strong> returns <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>vestor. We do not obta<strong>in</strong><br />

empirical evidence suggest<strong>in</strong>g that this is <strong>the</strong> case. We reperformed <strong>the</strong> analysis but this time exclud<strong>in</strong>g<br />

South Africa. This is because South Africa as a comparatively developed market may have been<br />

<strong>in</strong>fluenc<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> results. The results do not change even after exclud<strong>in</strong>g South Africa.<br />

Summary and conclusion<br />

This paper exam<strong>in</strong>es <strong>the</strong> determ<strong>in</strong>ants <strong>of</strong> foreign equity portfolio <strong>in</strong>vestment flows <strong>in</strong>to African stock<br />

markets. We f<strong>in</strong>d that <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong> predictor or determ<strong>in</strong>ant <strong>of</strong> foreign portfolio <strong>in</strong>vestment flows <strong>in</strong>to African<br />

stock markets is <strong>the</strong> level <strong>of</strong> stock market development. In all estimations, <strong>the</strong> stock market <strong>in</strong>dicators are<br />

<strong>the</strong> only significant variables and have <strong>the</strong> expected sign. Countries with better developed stock markets<br />

attract more portfolio <strong>in</strong>vestments. In fact, South Africa has attracted some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> largest portfolio<br />

<strong>in</strong>vestments on <strong>the</strong> cont<strong>in</strong>ent. South Africa also happens to have <strong>the</strong> most developed and advanced stock<br />

market on <strong>the</strong> cont<strong>in</strong>ent.<br />

Our results suggest that <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> African context expected determ<strong>in</strong>ants <strong>of</strong> portfolio <strong>in</strong>vestments such as<br />

economic stability, political stability, <strong>in</strong>come and sav<strong>in</strong>gs levels, <strong>in</strong>stitutional quality and exchange rate<br />

volatility do not really matter. The results do not vary whe<strong>the</strong>r or not South Africa is <strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong> or<br />

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