The Journal of Finance

The Journal of Finance publishes leading research across all the major fields of finance. It is one of the most widely cited journals in academic finance, and in all of economics. Each of the six issues per year reaches over 8,000 academics, finance professionals, libraries, and government and financial institutions around the world. The journal is the official publication of The American Finance Association, the premier academic organization devoted to the study and promotion of knowledge about financial economics.

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Search results: 3.

Learning about Predictability: The Effects of Parameter Uncertainty on Dynamic Asset Allocation

Published: 12/17/2002   |   DOI: 10.1111/0022-1082.00323

Yihong Xia

This paper examines the effects of uncertainty about the stock return predictability on optimal dynamic portfolio choice in a continuous time setting for a longhorizon investor. Uncertainty about the predictive relation affects the optimal portfolio choice through dynamic learning, and leads to a state‐dependent relation between the optimal portfolio choice and the investment horizon. There is substantial market timing in the optimal hedge demands, which is caused by stochastic covariance between stock return and dynamic learning. The opportunity cost of ignoring predictability or learning is found to be quite substantial.


Dynamic Asset Allocation under Inflation

Published: 12/17/2002   |   DOI: 10.1111/1540-6261.00459

Michael J. Brennan, Yihong Xia

We develop a simple framework for analyzing a finite‐horizon investor's asset allocation problem under inflation when only nominal assets are available. The investor's optimal investment strategy and indirect utility are given in simple closed form. Hedge demands depend on the investor's horizon and risk aversion and on the maturities of the bonds included in the portfolio. When short positions are precluded, the optimal strategy consists of investments in cash, equity, and a single nominal bond with optimally chosen maturity. Both the optimal stock‐bond mix and the optimal bond maturity depend on the investor's horizon and risk aversion.


Estimation and Test of a Simple Model of Intertemporal Capital Asset Pricing

Published: 11/27/2005   |   DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-6261.2004.00678.x

Michael J. Brennan, Ashley W. Wang, Yihong Xia

A simple valuation model with time‐varying investment opportunities is developed and estimated. The model assumes that the investment opportunity set is completely described by the real interest rate and the maximum Sharpe ratio, which follow correlated Ornstein–Uhlenbeck processes. The model parameters and time series of the state variables are estimated using U.S. Treasury bond yields and expected inflation from January 1952 to December 2000, and as predicted, the estimated maximum Sharpe ratio is related to the equity premium. In cross‐sectional asset‐pricing tests, both state variables have significant risk premia, which is consistent with Merton's ICAPM.