Are Indian Stock Markets Weak-Form Efficient?– Evidence from NSE and BSE Sectoral Indices

--Srinivasan Palamalai and M Kalaivani

The present study investigates the weak-form efficiency of Indian stock markets using both parametric and nonparametric tests, viz., autocorrelation test, augmented Dickey-Fuller test, runs test and variance ratio test. To test the market efficiency, the study considers the daily closing prices of 13 and 10 sectoral indices of Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock Exchange (NSE), respectively, along with the BSE SENSEX and CNX NIFTY. The empirical results provide evidences for the absence of the weak-form efficiency and random walk hypothesis in the case of all sectoral indices of NSE and BSE along with the CNX NIFTY and BSE SENSEX. Thus, trading strategies can be formulated by investors to gain abnormal returns in the Indian stock markets. And it can be inferred that there is a possibility of earning extra income on account of inefficiency in these market portfolios.

© 2015 IUP. All Rights Reserved.

The Volume-Returns Relationship in the Indian Stock Market

--Mahender Yadav, Shalini Aggarwal and Simmi Khurana

The present paper examines the causal relationship between trading volume and stock market returns using daily data of the S&P CNX NIFTY and Sensitivity index (SENSEX) for the period from April 1, 2002 to March 31, 2012. Using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, unit root tests and Granger causality test, the study shows that in SENSEX, the causality runs both ways, while in the case of S&P CNX NIFTY, causality runs one way. On the basis of the above findings, the participants in the stock markets, i.e., brokers, investors, regulators, policy makers, portfolio managers and academicians, can frame strategies to deal with market volatility.

© 2015 IUP. All Rights Reserved.

The Efficient Market Hypothesis: A Critical Review of the Literature

--Mehwish Naseer and Yasir bin Tariq

An efficient capital market is one in which security prices adjust rapidly to the arrival of new information. The Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH) suggests that security prices that prevail at any time in market should be an unbiased reflection of all currently available information and return earned is consistent with their perceived risk. Theoretical and empirical literature on EMH offers mixed evidences. Some studies have supported the hypothesis, while others have revealed some anomalies, i.e., deviations from the rules of EMH. This review paper presents an analysis of EMH and possible causes and evidences of anomalies. It also examines stock market efficiency in Karachi Stock Exchange.

© 2015 IUP. All Rights Reserved.