Dynamic linkages among equity markets: local versus basket currencies

This article compares the stability of interrelationships among nine national equity markets by employing basket currencies versus individual base currencies to measure rates of return. We show that the average correlations of equity indexes based on basket currencies are much lower than the average correlations of equity indexes based on individual home base currencies. Additionally, empirical directed graph results from using basket currencies are more consistent with each other than the results from using different individual currencies. We conclude that basket currencies provide more robust results for studying equity market comovements than individual currencies. By implication, studies on equity market inter-relationships, including studies on potential financial contagion between equity markets, should use basket currencies to avoid currency dependent results. 2011 Taylor & Francis.

Overview