Inflation risk and stock returns: Evidence from US aggregate and sectoral markets

Abstract

This study examines the relation between inflation risk and stock returns and finds a negative relation in US aggregate data. A comparable result is found in other G7 economies. Introducing the inflation-induced equity market volatility as an incremental variable consistently produces a negative effect on stock returns. The same finding holds true for monetary policy uncertainty, which also produces a negative relation. Ignoring these two elements will produce a biased estimator of inflation’s effect on stock returns. Testing of sectoral stocks in the US market indicates that most sectors find a significant number of sectors exhibit negative inflation coefficients, confirming the Fama proxy hypothesis. The exception is the energy sector that presents a positive sign, indicating a hedging capacity against inflation. Including the interacting term between a change in monetary policy uncertainty and lagged equity market volatility, the evidence suggests an enhanced negative effect on stock returns.