Volatility Timing in Mutual Funds: Evidence from Daily Returns

Abstract

I use daily mutual fund returns to shed new light on the question of whether or not mutual fund managers are successful market timers. Previous studies find that funds are unable to time the market return. I study the funds' ability to time market volatility. I show that volatility timing is an important factor in the returns of mutual funds and has led to higher risk-adjusted returns. The returns of surviving funds are especially sensitive to market volatility; those of nonsurvivors are not. Article published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Financial Studies in its journal, The Review of Financial Studies.