The role of the volatility index in asset pricing: The case of the Indian stock market

Abstract

This study examines whether the volatility index, a proxy for aggregate volatility risk, can be used as an additional factor in the standard asset pricing model for the Indian stock market after controlling for well-documented risk factors. This study first examines the empirical performance of the capital asset pricing model, the Fama-French three-factor model and the Carhart four-factor model. On the basis of a GRS test, the Fama-French three-factor model is used as the baseline model to explore the role of the volatility index as an additional factor considered in the asset pricing model. The factor mimicking portfolio returns for the volatility index innovations is constructed and is included as an additional factor in the Fama-French three-factor model. The study provides strong evidence of size effects but relatively weak value-growth and momentum effect. Further, stock’s sensitivity to volatility index innovation is a priced risk factor during high volatility period, but not during low volatility period. Nevertheless, the addition of volatility risk factor leads to marginal improvements in the capacity for the model to explain the variation in stock returns. The results of this study will help financial analysts and corporate financial managers to evaluate the performance of professionally managed portfolios.