Foreign Portfolio Investment Research Articles

The impact of credit ratings on international investment: Evidence from an emerging market

This study examines the influence of sovereign credit ratings on international investments in emerging markets, focusing on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI). Using data from 22 emerging economies spanning 1999 to 2019, we employ OLS and fixed-effects regression models to analyze how credit ratings affect investment flows and market volatility. The findings indicate that sovereign credit ratings significantly impact investor decisions, as these ratings serve as a key metric in assessing investment risk and potential. This research highlights the essential role of credit ratings in enhancing financial stability and promoting economic integration through foreign investments, with implications for growth and trade. The study provides novel insights for investors, policymakers, and rating agencies on the role of credit ratings in emerging market investments, contributing to a deeper understanding of their impact on global economic dynamics.

The Dynamics of FPI and FDI in Indian Economy : A Correlational Study

Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI) and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) play distinct yet complementary roles in India's economic development. FPI is short-term and volatile, enhancing liquidity in financial markets, while FDI is long-term and supports sustainable growth through capital formation, technology transfer, and employment generation. Despite their individual contributions, FPI and FDI operate independently, driven by different factors. Policymakers must adopt differentiated approaches: FPI can be promoted through market stability and regulatory transparency, whereas FDI requires structural reforms and an investment-friendly environment. This paper also suggests directions for future research, focusing on sector-specific impacts, the influence of policy changes, and the role of macroeconomic conditions in shaping these investment inflows.

Foreign Portfolio Investment and Capital Market Development in Nigeria

This study investigates the impact of foreign portfolio investment (FPI) on the development of the Nigerian capital market from 1986 to 2023, addressing challenges such as exchange rate volatility and inadequate technological advancement. The research aims to explore the following questions: What is the relationship between foreign portfolio investments and capital market development in Nigeria? How do exchange rate volatility influence the capital market development in Nigeria? What role do technological advancements play in enhancing market performance and attracting foreign investors? Data were sourced from the Central Bank of Nigeria Statistical Bulletin and the National Bureau of Statistics. A quantitative methodology was employed, utilizing the Johansen co-integration test, Vector Error Correction Model (VECM), and Granger causality test to analyze secondary time-series data. The Johansen co-integration test revealed a long-run relationship among the variables, while the VECM indicated that FPI negatively impacts market capitalization. Additionally, the Granger causality test demonstrated unidirectional causality from capital market development to FPI. To address the identified challenges, the study recommends that policymakers create a more supportive environment that ensures foreign investors can repatriate capital and earnings. The government should prioritize exchange rate stability that reflects market realities to enhance investor confidence. Investments in advanced technology are crucial to improving efficiency and accountability in market transactions. By adopting these targeted recommendations, Nigeria can better leverage FPI to foster capital market growth and promote sustainable economic development. JEL Codes: G15, O16

The Retreat from BIST: Insights into Foreign Portfolio Investment Movements

The need for rapid growth and development in developing countries increases the demand for capital. As a result, foreign portfolio investments are of great importance, especially in emerging markets, as they help meet capital needs. However, their ability to move quickly also introduces high volatility to financial markets. This study examines changes in the share of foreign portfolio investors in Borsa Istanbul from 2004 to 2023, aiming to provide long-term insights to market participants. Initially, changes in the foreign portfolio investor ratio over time are graphically analyzed alongside the BIST 100 index and the average interest rate of deposits with a maturity of up to 3 months. These changes are evaluated in the context of both global and local developments. The study then investigates the causal relationship between the foreign portfolio investor ratio and the BIST 100 index using a cointegration test and a causality test based on the VECM model. The findings show a one-way causality from the BIST 100 index to the foreign portfolio investor ratio, indicating that foreign investors' market movements are largely influenced by the performance of the BIST 100, and local market dynamics significantly affect foreign capital inflows.

Measuring and analyzing the impact of portfolio investment on the trading volume index of the Iraq Stock Exchange for the period 2012-2022

The study aims to measure and analyze the role of portfolio investment in the trading volume index of the Iraqi securities market. The descriptive and analytical approach and the standard economics approach were used in building the model based on the EViews 13 program, as well as the use of the self-degradation model of distributed time gaps (ARDL). The study concluded that the statistically significant impact of portfolio investment on Iraq's short-term and long-term stock exchange volume index was demonstrated the study found that portfolio foreign investment is an important element of the economy. However, the Iraqi economy is an environment that is not attractive to investment because of the conditions of security and economic instability, which adversely affects foreign investors' willingness to invest and trade in the market. This is illustrated by the indicators during the course of the study, whether as regards the volume of non-Iraqis' trading or net portfolio investment and its impact on the volume index on the Iraq stock market. The study recommended the granting of many advantages and tax incentives to attract foreign investors to financial markets because of the great importance of portfolio investment in development and the development of the national economy as well as providing the right investment climate and working to diversify and develop new types of securities

Trade Outwardness and International Financial Flows in Nigeria

This study used the Autoregressive Distributed Lag model to investigate the impact of international financial flows on trade outwardness in Nigeria. With dataset covering the period 1999 – 2023 drawn from the World Development Indicator, which is a repository of the World Bank, official development assistance (ODA), Foreign portfolio investment (FPI) and foreign direct investment (FDI) were used as proxies for international financial flows. The quotient of the sum of export and import over gross domestic product represented trade outward which found to positively and significantly respond to changes in ODA and FPI and insignificantly and negative respond to FDI. It is recommended that trade outwardness should be tailored in the direction of international financial flows while harnessing the benefits of trade and mitigating the adverse effects of trade relations. This can be done through protective import strategies and export promotion methods.

Foreign Direct Investment and Its Impact on India's Economic Growth

One of the most important ways for nations to integrate into the global economy and promote economic growth and development is through foreign direct investment, or FDI. It means that an organization or individual from one nation invests resources into the assets or commercial ventures of another nation. Foreign direct investment (FDI) denotes a long-term stake and a substantial amount of control or influence over the management of the foreign firm, in contrast to foreign portfolio investments, which consist of passive ownership of securities. Intra-company loans, reinvestment of earnings, and ownership of equity are ways to attain this control. FDI is so more than just a cash investment; it's a calculated action that has the power to influence the host nation's economic environment. Three main components make up foreign direct investment (FDI) according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): equity capital, reinvested earnings, and intra-company loans. Acquiring shares in a foreign company signifies ownership and control through equity capital. The investor's portion of profits that are reinvested in the overseas business to support development and expansion, as opposed to being sent home as dividends, is known as reinvested earnings. Funds borrowed or lent between the parent business and its overseas affiliates are referred to as intra-company loans, and they reflect continuing financial exchanges inside the corporate network. FDI may be divided into two primary categories: vertical FDI, which involves a company investing in a host nation to move upstream or downstream in different stages of production, and horizontal FDI, which involves a company replicating its home country-based activities at the same point of the value chain in a host country.

Сравнительная картина и проблемы иностранного портфельного инвестирования в реальном секторе экономики / Comparative picture and problems of foreign portfolio investment

The article is devoted to the comparative picture and problems of foreign portfolio investment in the real sector of the economy. The article analyzes the main obstacles that arise in the process of attracting foreign portfolio investments. The factors influencing the increase in the flow of foreign portfolio investments, the possibility of their rapid attraction and effective distribution are considered. Sustainable development of the economy of any country today is impossible without active participation in world economic relations. Along with international trade, international flows of investment capital, carried out on the basis of effective cooperation between countries, are becoming increasingly important. In recent years, the issue of attracting external capital to the Armenian economy has become topical. Foreign investment is one of the most important conditions for stabilization and growth of the country's economy. This is primarily due to the fact that firms’ own financial resources are limited, which is due to a number of reasons in Armenian reality, such as high return on invested capital, high taxes, etc. The movement of global financial capital through the channels of the global financial system occurs in various forms, among which international portfolio investments, including investments in equity and debt securities, occupy a special place. Financial globalization is accelerating the trend towards expanding the market segment of international portfolio investments.

What leads some countries to experience larger decreases in foreign flows during low-flow episodes? Evidence from international portfolio flows

This paper investigates the drivers explaining the heterogeneous responses of foreign portfolio investors across 43 emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs) during low-flow episodes. Our investigations reveal several findings: (a) During low-flow episodes, EMDEs with stronger macroeconomic/institutional fundamentals—e.g., larger foreign reserves, less public indebtedness, and better institutional quality—suffer fewer reductions in foreign inflows. (b) EMDEs with more open/developed financial markets attract more portfolio inflows during surges but suffer larger declines during stops. Hence, we provide evidence supporting the foreign investor differentiation (according to fundamentals) and the mixed blessing of financial sectors hypothesis.

An empirical investigation of capital flight and economic growth nexus in Africa

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the impact of capital flight on economic growth in Africa using 54 African countries from 2000 to 2021. The study employed the GMM and the dynamic panel threshold regression estimation techniques. GMM results revealed that capital flight negatively and significantly affects economic growth in Africa. The study also revealed that external debt repayment and outward foreign direct investment, proxies of capital flight, have a negative and significant effect on economic growth in Africa, except foreign portfolio investment outflow, which positively and insignificantly influences economic growth. Again, the dynamic panel threshold estimation results also revealed that capital flight negatively affects economic growth at all levels of capital flight in Africa. The study also revealed that all the proxies of capital flight, external debt repayments, foreign portfolio investment outflows, and outward foreign direct investment negatively and significantly affect economic growth above a certain threshold. However, external debt repayment has an insignificant negative effect on economic growth below the threshold in Africa. Based on the findings, African countries should implement stringent policies to curb capital flight and regulate external debt repayments and outward foreign direct investment to enhance economic growth.

Foreign portfolio investments and voting bias in the Eurovision Song Contest

We investigate the role played by the voting bias in the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) in explaining international bilateral portfolio investments. Our analysis reveals that the voting bias in the ESC score significantly helps explain bilateral portfolio investments but only for non-professional investors, while no systematic effect is found for financial companies’ holdings. Our results undergo robustness checks related to changes in the voting system and to the inclusion of standard static indicators of cultural distance. Moreover, for non-professional investors, the effect of voting bias is larger for debt than for equities: it is consistent with an affinity/animosity bias directed to target foreign governments and then reflected in sovereign debt holdings. Our analysis highlights that financial decision making, especially for less sophisticated investors, may be driven not only by static economic and cultural proximity, but also by less predictable time-varying national subjective feelings.

Retained Earnings, Foreign Portfolio Ownership, and the German Current Account: A Firm-Level Approach

Abstract In some countries, a sizable fraction of savings is derived from corporate savings. Although larger, traded corporations are often co-owned by foreign portfolio investors, current international accounting standards allocate all corporate savings to the host country. This paper suggests a framework to correct for this misleading attribution and applies this concept to Germany. For the years 2012–2020, our corrections retrospectively reduce German savings and consequently the German current account surplus by, on average, €11.5 bn annually. This amounts to lowering Germany’s average official current account surplus (€226.6 bn) across these years by approximately five percent.

The Moderating Role of Institutional Quality in the Relationship between Foreign Capital Inflows and Stock Market Development: A Panel Data Analysis

The study examines the impact of foreign capital inflows (FCI) on stock market development (SMD), with a specific focus on the moderating role of institutional quality (IQ). The study uses a panel dataset of 28 emerging economies for the period of 1998 to 2022. The findings reveal that both international remittances (REM) and foreign portfolio investment (FPI) have a significant positive impact on SMD. These findings imply that REM inflows enhance the availability of financial resources in the economy, promoting stock market growth and stability. Similarly, FPI increases market liquidity and fills the saving-investment gap in the host country, thereby increasing SMD. However, the results show that foreign direct investment (FDI) has a significant negative impact on SMD. This finding implies that FDI could negatively affect SMD in the host country due to the diversion of investments from the stock market to other business ventures, profit repatriation, and crowding-out effects on domestic investment by creating strong competition in the input market, making it difficult for listed domestic firms to operate. Moreover, the study reveals two unique and interesting findings. First, official development assistance (ODA) has a significant negative impact on SMD, suggesting that ODA reduces SMD due to the misallocation of resources due to aid conditions and economic instability, and the crowding-out effect on private investments. Second, IQ positively moderates the relationship between all forms of FCI and SMD in the sampled countries, implying that host countries with a good institutional framework and high IQ tend to experience high SMD.

How Demutualization of Pakistan Stock Exchange Affected Determinants of Foreign Portfolio Investment in Pakistan?

How Demutualization of Pakistan Stock Exchange Affected Determinants of Foreign Portfolio Investment in Pakistan?

Response of Nigeria’s Stock Market to Portfolio Investment Flux: Asymmetric Evidence

The study investigates the nonlinear effects of foreign portfolio investment on the Nigerian stock market. Quarterly data was sourced from CBN statistical bulletin spanning from first quarter of 2005 to last quarter of 2022. Econometric pretest was conducted. Results from the NARDL model show significant persistence in the All Share Index (ASI), where past values strongly influence current values, aligning with momentum and short-term dynamics studies. Bond Portfolio Foreign Investment (BPFI) has a slightly positive but not robust effect on ASI, serving more as a stabilizer than a driver. Equity Portfolio Foreign Investment (EPFI) lacks an immediate impact but may affect ASI with a delay, illustrating the complex influence of foreign equity on market indices. The analysis of market capitalization (MCAP) reveals that while immediate increases in BPFI boost MCAP, lagged increases may cause reversals, and EPFI’s effects suggest initial destabilization followed by stabilization. These results reflect the transient and sometimes destabilizing effects of foreign capital flows in emerging markets. The study recommends that policymakers develop strategies to manage both short-term and long-term impacts of foreign investments. This could include controlling the pace of capital flows and creating incentives for long-term investments to reduce market volatility and enhance stability.

Moderating the Role of Trade Openness on Foreign Portfolio Investment and Economic Growth among East Africa Community Countries

Purpose: This study investigates the impact of foreign portfolio investment (FPI) on economic growth in East Africa using panel data for Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi from 1974-2022. Methodology: The analysis employs a panel vector error correction model to estimate the short and long-run effects of FPI on growth. The study relied on secondary data sources for the period 1974-2022 with an annual frequency, implying 49 years of data. Data on foreign investment variables and macroeconomic control variables were sourced from the World Bank database, National Statistical Bureaus, Central Banks, and Stock Exchanges of the respective countries. Findings: The results indicate that FPI significantly positively impacts economic growth in East Africa. A 1% increase in FPI inflows as a share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) boosts annual real GDP growth by approximately 10.7% in the long run. The findings are robust to the inclusion of moderating variables like trade openness. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The empirical analysis aimed to validate the Modern Portfolio Theory by examining if greater foreign portfolio investment flows contributed positively to economic growth in the East African region. The results lend support to policy efforts in East Africa to attract greater FPI through capital market reforms, regional integration, and macroeconomic stability. However, further developing financial markets and enhancing absorptive capacity is essential to leverage FPI more effectively for sustainable growth financing.

Foreign investments of Japanese life insurance companies

We investigate Japanese life insurance companies’ investment returns or volatilities and their discretionary decisions on foreign portfolio investments. These decisions include the proportion of foreign investments in the companies’ proprietary investments and the currency risk hedge. We consider the “carry trade” scenario when the market favors investing in high-yield currencies by borrowing the Japanese yen. We establish three results. First, the currency hedge relates positively to the investment returns under the carry trade scenario but negatively otherwise. Second, the proportion of foreign investments relates positively to the investment returns. Third, the investment returns significantly decrease under the carry trade scenario.

THE MODERATING ROLE OF IFRS ADOPTION SPEED IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CAPITAL INFLOWS AND INCLUSIVE GROWTH IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Purpose: This study investigates how the speed of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) adoption condition the capital inflows and inclusive growth nexus in Sub-Saharan Africa. While existing literature primarily examined IFRS impacts at the firm level, this study filles a significant gap by focusing on the macroeconomic effects of IFRS adoption speed, particularly its role in enhancing the benefits of capital inflows such as Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI), and Foreign Aid. Methods: This study employs a dynamic panel data analysis using the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) to examine how the speed of IFRS adoption impacts capital inflows and fosters inclusive growth across Sub-Saharan African countries. The study leveraged a dataset spanning from 2005 to 2019, covering 48 countries in the region. By analysing the relationship between IFRS adoption speed, capital inflows, and inclusive growth, the study offers new insights into the macroeconomic benefits of adopting IFRS. Findings: Findings suggest that speedy IFRS adoption significantly enhances the positive impact of capital inflows on inclusive growth, underlining the importance of swift and effective implementation of IFRS for equitable economic development. Implications: This study contributes to the existing literature by providing a macroeconomic perspective on IFRS adoption and highlighting the importance of financial reporting standards in achieving inclusive growth in Sub-Saharan Africa. Originality: This study introduces a novel approach by examining how the speed of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) adoption moderates the impact of capital inflows on inclusive growth in Sub-Saharan Africa. Bridging the gap in existing literature, it shifts the focus from firm-level effects of IFRS and direct impacts of capital inflows on economic growth to a nuanced exploration of how financial reporting standards' adoption speed can enhance a country's ability to utilize foreign investments for inclusive economic development. Unique in its regional focus, this research provides critical insights into the macroeconomic benefits of IFRS in Sub-Saharan Africa, offering valuable implications for policymakers and contributing significantly to the discourse on financial innovation, regulatory frameworks, and sustainable economic growth in emerging markets.

Dynamic connectedness among the BRICS markets and the recent pandemic: an application of TVP-VAR approach

PurposeThis study analyses the impact of the Covid-19 on stock market performance of BRICS nations together. BRICS countries comprise almost 30% of the global GDP and around 50% of the world’s economic growth. As BRICS nations have gained the attraction as financial investment destinations, their financial markets have apparently been as potential opportunities for foreign portfolio investors. While there is extensive research on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on individual economies and global financial markets, this paper is among the first to systematically investigate the dynamic connectedness of these emerging economies during the pandemic using the Time-Varying Parameter Vector Autoregressions (TVP-VAR) approach.Design/methodology/approachWe categorise our data into two distinct periods: the pre-Covid period spanning from January 1, 2018, to March 10, 2020, and the Covid crisis period extending from March 11, 2020, to June 4, 2021. To achieve our research objectives, we employ the Time-Varying Parameter Vector Autoregressions (TVP-VAR) approach to assess dynamic connectedness.FindingsOur findings reveal that among the BRICS nations, Brazil and South Africa serve as net transmitters of shocks, while China and India act as net receivers of shocks during the Covid crisis. However, the total connectedness index (TCI) has exhibited a notable increase throughout this crisis period. This paper makes several notable contributions to the academic literature by offering a unique focus on BRICS economies during the Covid-19 pandemic, providing practical insights for stakeholders, emphasising the importance of risk management and investment strategy, exploring diversification implications and introducing advanced methodology for analysing interconnected financial markets.Research limitations/implicationsThe results have important implications for the investors, the hedge funds, portfolio managers and the policymakers in BRICS stock markets. The investors, investment houses, portfolio managers and policymakers can develop investment strategies and policies in the light of the findings of this study to cope up the future pandemic crisis.Originality/valueThis study is one of its kind that examines the dynamic connectedness of BRICS with recently developed TVP-VAR approach across pandemic crisis.

Financial Market Development and Foreign Portfolio Investments in Nigeria and South Africa

The study investigates the effect of financial market development on foreign portfolio investment in Nigeria and South Africa between the periods of first quarter in 1995 to fourth quarter of 2022. The study employs an ex-post factor research design, the study deploys panel autoregressive distributed lag modelling. The inferences were made at 5% significant level. Findings from the study reveal that lagged Portfolio Investment is not statistically significant to foreign portfolio investment (coefficient = -0.5026613, p-value = 0.275), in contrast, lagged Stock Market Turnover Ratio has a significant positive coefficient (coefficient = 0.5696119, p-value < 0.000), indicating a positive short-term relationship with changes in Portfolio Investment. However, other lagged variables like Stock Market Capitalization, All Share Index, Broad Money Supply, and Real Credit to the Private Sector show coefficients without statistical significance, suggesting limited short-term predictive power. In the long run, the adjusted term for lagged Portfolio Investment exhibits a highly significant negative effect (coefficient = -1.502661, p-value = 0.001). Lagged Broad Money Supply and Real Credit to the Private Sector also lack statistical significance in the long term, while lagged Stock Market Turnover Ratio and All Share Index have statistically significant positive coefficients. However, Stock Market Capitalization lacks statistical significance in predicting long-term changes in foreign Portfolio Investment. In respect to the result, the study recommended that policy makers should implement measures to enhance transparency and regulation within financial markets to promote investor confidence and attract foreign capital inflows. This may include strengthening regulatory frameworks, improving reporting standards, and ensuring effective oversight mechanisms.