Impact of macroeconomic factors and political events on the market index returns at Palestine and Amman Stock Markets (2011–2017)

Since March 2002, The Motley Fool’s founders, David Gardner and Tom Gardner, have published monthly stock recommendations under Motley Fool’s premium Stock Advisor service. In this paper, the authors investigate whether analysts’ recommendations can add value for investors by examining the performance of portfolios constructed based on Motley Fool’s recommendations. They evaluate the announcement effect on share price corresponding to the publication of stock recommendations. Additionally, the researchers examine holding period returns for a portfolio imitating the actions of Stock Advisor. They find portfolios composed of recommendations through Stock Advisor added value initially upon recommendation and across extended holding periods. Additionally, the authors find that the Stock Advisor sample outperforms other sample portfolios on a risk-adjusted basis and over several subperiods. The findings contribute to the literature on the usefulness of analysts’ recommendations in adding value to investors’ portfolios.

This study examined the response of stock prices on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) to COVID-19 using an event study approach and the GARCH model. The research sample is the closing price of the Composite Stock Price Index (JCI) and companies that are members of LQ-45 in the 40-day period before the COVID-19 incident, 1 day during the COVID-19 incident (March 2, 2020) and 10 days after, January 6, 2020 – March 16, 2020. Empirical findings prove that abnormal returns react negatively to COVID-19, JCI volatility fluctuates widely during the COVID-19 event, and the GARCH(1,2) model can be used to assess volatility and predict stock abnormal returns in IDX in market conditions infected with COVID-19. The practical implication of the study’s findings for investors is that the COVID-19 event caused stock price volatility, which affects abnormal returns. Therefore, to face the conditions of uncertainty and increased volatility in the future, several lines of risk management are needed in managing a stock portfolio. In addition, it also opens up opportunities for speculators to profit in an inefficient market environment. This study is based on the empirical literature currently being developed to investigate the phenomenon of stock price volatility behavior during COVID-19 on the IDX. The GARCH model used proves that during the COVID-19 pandemic, stock price volatility increases and leads to a decrease in abnormal returns. The empirical findings also validate the efficient market hypothesis theory related to the study of events and the theory of financial behavior related to uncertainty.

FinTech innovations are one of strategic decisions to increase the profitability of a company. This study determines the level of profitability of companies before and after the emergence of FinTech products. The authors focused on companies that have launched FinTech products and published their financial reports. The study sample consisted of 17 FinTech products from 16 companies in Indonesia. The limited number of the sample was caused by not all of them having published its financial reports, while we have checked 157 FinTech companies. An event study approach using paired sample T-test is utilized. The period used in this study is four years, covering two years before and two years after the company launched FinTech products. Data were obtained from IDX, FinTech.id, and company web-pages. The results clearly showed that there was a significant influence on return on assets (ROA), but no significant difference in return on equity (ROE). This finding gives more contribution to the FinTech industry about the company’s profitability impact of launching FinTech product.