Financial market forecasts and rates of return based on leading index signals

Abstract

This report describes and analyzes a practical system which will assist financial analysts and portfolio managers to maximize the annual rate of return in their asset-allocation program when choosing between stocks, short-term bills and long-term bonds. The level and stability of the total rates of return (from capital gain or loss and dividends or interest) are compared for various investment strategies. Our objective is achieved by developing, with the aid of new long-leading indexes, a method of forecasting the beginning and end of major bull markets in stock prices. During bear-market periods the choice between short-term bills and long-term bonds is governed by signals from a leading index of inflation. The paper reports the findings for Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and West Germany.