Performance Persistence in Anomaly Returns: Evidence from Frontier Markets

Abstract

This study aims to explore the performance persistence of frontier market equity anomalies. To this end, I replicate 140 anomalies in the cross-section of returns in a sample of 23 frontier markets. I demonstrate a robust and strong performance persistence in the anomaly returns. The return persistence is driven by two independent components related to past short- and long-term returns. These components reflect short-term momentum and cross-sectional variation in long-term anomaly returns, respectively. Combining the two components forms an efficient anomaly selection strategy.