In the context of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement, the European Union has devised a sustainable finance strategy that relies on the engagement of both institutional and private investors in responsible investing to deliver on those goals. Several studies have found high interest in responsible investing among retail investors, but a relatively low engagement therein. Research up to this point on the responsible investing experience of retails investors has not established a clear cause for the gap between interest and engagement and has particularly neglected the increasingly popular investment type of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). This thesis therefore aims to shed light on the obstacles that prevent retail investors from investing in responsible ETFs. The research is organized by a five-stage framework for the responsible ETF investing process that identifies potential obstacles in the first three process stages problem recognition, information search, and evaluation of alternatives. An empirical analysis was performed by means of an online survey of European retail ETF investors and non-ETF investors (n = 101). The results indicate that the majority of retail investors experience a gap between their interest and engagement in responsible ETF investing. The most difficult stage of the responsible ETF investing process appears to be the evaluation of alternatives. Incomparability of information on responsible ETFs and a lack of labels and standardization present obstacles that impair investors’ ability to evaluate different options for responsible ETFs. The incomparability of information can be ascribed to the divergence of environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings. The survey further found a high support among ETF investors for the planned standardizations and regulations by the EU and increased willingness to invest in responsible ETFs if these measures are implemented. These findings emphasize the role of regulations in facilitating responsible investing and pave the way for more comprehensive studies on the information needs and obstacles of European retail ETF investors. / Inom ramen för målen för hållbar utveckling och Parisavtalet har Europeiska unionen utformat en hållbar finansstrategi som bygger på att både institutionella och privata investerare engagerar sig i ansvarsfulla investeringar för att uppnå dessa mål. Flera studier har visat stort intresse för att göra ansvarsfulla investeringar bland privatinvesterare, men ett relativt lågt engagemang däri. Forskning som är aktuell om privatinvesterare erfarenheter har inte visat någon tydlig orsak till klyftan mellan intresse och engagemang och har särskilt försummat den alltmer populära investeringstypen av börshandlade fonder (ETF). Avhandlingen syftar därför till att belysa de hinder som hindrar privatinvesterare från att investera i ansvarsfulla ETF:er. Forskningen är organiserad av ett femstegsramverk för den ansvarsfulla ETF-investeringsprocessen som identifierar potentiella hinder i de tre första processtegen för problemigenkänning, informationssökning och utvärdering av alternativ. En empirisk analys utfördes med hjälp av en online-undersökning av europeiska ETF-investerare och icke-ETFinvesterare (n = 101). Resultaten visar att majoriteten av privatinvesterare upplever ett gap mellan deras intresse och engagemang för ansvarsfull ETF-investering. Det svåraste steget i den ansvariga ETF-investeringsprocessen verkar vara utvärderingen av alternativ. Ojämförbarheten mellan information om ansvarsfulla ETF:er och brist på klassificering och standardisering utgör betydande hinder som försämrar investerarnas förmåga att utvärdera olika alternativ för ansvariga ETF:er. Informationens ojämförbarhet kan tillskrivas skillnaderna mellan miljömässiga, sociala och styresmässiga (ESG) betyg. Undersökningen fann vidare ett stort stöd bland ETF-investerare för EU:s planerade standardiseringar och regler och ökad vilja att investera i ansvarsfulla ETF om dessa åtgärder genomförs. Dessa resultat  betonar regelverkets roll för att underlätta ansvarsfulla investeringar och banar väg för mer omfattande studier om informationsbehov och hinder för europeiska ETF-privatinvesterare.

L’implémentation d’une étude d’événement est confrontée à des choix méthodologiques plus ou moins arbitraires concernant la période de l’étude et l’échantillon sélectionné. Or, ces choix méthodologiques conditionnent les résultats obtenus, aboutissant à des divergences notoires en matière de conclusions. Une démarche par simulations, effectuées sur des données réelles de la Bourse de Tunis, nous a permis de juger de la validité des différentes méthodes à utiliser et des différents tests à mettre en œuvre, puis de déterminer celles et ceux qui sont recommandés en fonction des caractéristiques de l’événement à étudier. Nos résultats sont spécifiquement adaptés aux marchés émergents, souffrant d’un manque de liquidité, d’un manque de transparence…En application des résultats de la méthodologie recommandée, nous avons cherché à analyser l’impact sur le marché boursier tunisien, de changements d’abord microstructurels et ensuite environnementaux de nature institutionnelle. Au plan de la microstructure, les choix organisationnels ont été répartis en trois catégories distinctes : la structure du marché, la transparence et le contrôle de la variation des prix. Au plan institutionnel, nous avons axé notre analyse sur l’infrastructure légale en considérant quatre composantes : la protection des investisseurs externes à l’entreprise, les lois sur les valeurs mobilières, les transactions des initiés et le cadre comptable. / Event studies implementation faces many arbitrary methodological choices concerning the period of the study and the selected sample. Unfortunately, these methodological choices condition the results of the study, leading to important differences in the outcomes. An approach by simulations, carried out on actual data of the Tunis stock exchange, has allowed us to judge the validity of the different methods used and the different tests to be implemented, in order to determine those recommended according to the characteristics of the event being studied. Our results are specifically adapted to the emerging markets, known for their lack of liquidity, lack of transparency…Pursuant to the results of the recommended methodology, we next analyze the impact on the Tunisian stock market, of some micro-structural and institutional changes that have occurred in the last years. In terms of microstructure, we precisely examine the structure of the market, its degree of transparency and the mechanisms of price variations control. In terms of institutional environment, we focus our analysis on the legal infrastructure through the aspects of company’s outsiders’ protection, securities law, insiders’ transactions and accounting framework.

The aim of this thesis is business valuation of Zabka Polska, SA. This company operates retail convenience stores in Poland. The goal of this thesis is to estimate fair market value of the Company as of December 31st 2010. DCF Equity valuation method has been used as the main valuation method. Comparable traded companies and comparable historic transaction analyses methods have been used as complementary valuation methods. Master thesis has similar structure as legal valuation report and is divided into six parts.

The goal of this diploma thesis is to analyze the gold market and provide readers with the necessary information and context having an impact on the price of gold. The thesis consists of three chapters. First one deals in general with the commodity market and introduces the readers to commodity exchange issues such as trading commodities in commodity exchanges, motives of commodity trading as well as the specific characteristics of commodities. Second one concerns the detailed analysis of commodity investment tools that investors might use when they feel like getting an exposure to price movements of commodities. The last chapter gears towards an analysis of the gold market in today's super globalized world and depicts what fundamental factors have an impact on the price of gold. At last, I shall summarize existing pieces of knowledge and cast light on further gold price movements.

Working capital optimization, as an act of balancing liquidity and profitability, presents significant challenges when small businesses lack managerial expertise and access to affordable capital and credit facilities. To remain successful through efficient utilization of working capital, small business leaders need to understand the association between working capital management (WCM), working capital policy (WCP), and business profitability (PFT). Anchored in the cash conversion cycle theory, the purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between WCM, WCP, and PFT. The study employed a retrospective secondary analysis of financial data from 2004 to 2013 from a random sample of 176 publicly traded small U.S. manufacturing companies. The regression results incorporating 3 models were significant in predicting profitability in terms of gross operating profit (GOP), return on asset (ROA), and Tobin's q (TBQ). The regression results showed that WCM and WCP were significant predictors of GOP, F (5, 170) = 8.580, p < .000, R2 = .201; ROA, F (5, 170) = 4.079, p < .002, R2 = .107; and TBQ, F (5, 170) = 6.231, p < .000, R2 = .155. The overall result confirmed that WCM and WCP predicted PFT significantly (p < .05). Small business leaders may incorporate working capital optimization practices into overall corporate strategy, thereby aligning working capital needs with the changing business requirements. The implications for positive social change included the potential to provide small business leaders with knowledge of WCM and WCP as drivers of PFT. Profitable businesses may provide employees and communities with better jobs; stock ownership; and development infrastructures such as road, healthcare, and educational facilities.

With the internationalization of financial markets, short-term capital flows to emerging market economies have become an important phenomenon in the world. The papers in this dissertation are concerned with investigating the effects of such flows in the receiving countries. The analysis is cast in a dynamic general equilibrium framework for small open economies. Two of the papers are quantitative investigations of the forces at work in small and relatively poor economies that liberalize trade and capital flows. The common approach of these papers is that of a computational experiment: calibrated simulations constitute a test of whether the models can explain certain dynamics which we observe in the data. The first paper investigates whether a calibrated two-sector neoclassical growth model can explain the magnitudes and the timing of capital flows in the Baltic countries after the fall of the Soviet Union. The results indicate that it can, and that the large and persistent trade deficits which we observe in the data need not be a reason to worry. However, the model also tells us that a reversal of capital flows and large sectoral adjustments lie ahead of the Baltic countries. In the second paper, the focus is on modelling the observed co-movement between consumption and the real exchange rate in Spain, which experienced large capital inflows following the entry into the European Community in 1986. In accordance with episodes of trade liberalization elsewhere, consumption in Spain boomed and the real exchange rate appreciated for several years after 1986. Standard two-sector models with traded and non-traded goods have problems accounting for these facts. The paper explores some mechanisms that can improve the standard modelling framework, and evaluates their quantitative importance in calibrated simulations for Spain. The third paper studies the government’s optimal bailout policy in an environment where sudden stops of capital flows cause financial crises in a small open economy. Real world events, such as the financial crises in the South East Asian countries in 1997, motivate the analysis. Compared to the previous essays, the paper is different in its nature in that it develops a highly stylized environment to analytically study the government’s optimal bailout policy. The paper shows that the government should optimally commit to a policy that only partially protects private debtors against inefficient liquidation. / Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögsk., 2004

Made available in DSpace on 2008-05-13T13:47:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 1850.pdf: 600111 bytes, checksum: 512f00eac39c4e25d72fa4b37ecc7e97 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005-04-12 / Using Brazilian financial data for some shares traded in the Brazilian Stock Market (BOVESPA) we test the expectation hypothesis of present value models discounted by a constant factor. This model relates the price of a stock to its expected dividends. To perform econometric testing we use mainly the jointly restriction through Wald Test in a Vector Autoregression framework, as well as alternative testing procedures. The empirical results partially support the present value model discounted by a constant factor to predict prices for stock through its expected dividends. / Através de dados financeiros de ações negociadas na Bolsa de Valores de São Paulo, testa-se a validade do modelo de valor presente (MVP) com retornos esperados constantes ao longo do tempo (Campbell & Schiller, 1987). Esse modelo relaciona o preço de uma ação ao seu esperado fluxo de dividendos trazido a valor presente a uma taxa de desconto constante ao longo do tempo. Por trás desse modelo está a hipótese de expectativas racionais, bem como a hipótese de previsibilidade de preço futuro do ativo, através da inserção dos dividendos esperados no período seguinte. Nesse trabalho é realizada uma análise multivariada num arcabouço de séries temporais, utilizando a técnica de Auto-Regressões Vetoriais. Os resultados empíricos apresentados, embora inconclusivos, permitem apenas admitir que não é possível rejeitar completamente a hipótese de expectativas racionais para os ativos brasileiros.

Submitted by Diego de Aragão (diegodearagao@gmail.com) on 2011-09-05T18:22:11Z No. of bitstreams: 1 A Eficiência da Precificação e os Erros de Aderência dos ETFs do Mercado Brasileiro final.pdf: 570730 bytes, checksum: 3ba1b8eb71026ac807dc531f68512bd9 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Gisele Isaura Hannickel (gisele.hannickel@fgv.br) on 2011-09-05T18:43:23Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 A Eficiência da Precificação e os Erros de Aderência dos ETFs do Mercado Brasileiro final.pdf: 570730 bytes, checksum: 3ba1b8eb71026ac807dc531f68512bd9 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Gisele Isaura Hannickel (gisele.hannickel@fgv.br) on 2011-09-05T18:57:16Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 A Eficiência da Precificação e os Erros de Aderência dos ETFs do Mercado Brasileiro final.pdf: 570730 bytes, checksum: 3ba1b8eb71026ac807dc531f68512bd9 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2011-09-05T19:01:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 A Eficiência da Precificação e os Erros de Aderência dos ETFs do Mercado Brasileiro final.pdf: 570730 bytes, checksum: 3ba1b8eb71026ac807dc531f68512bd9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-08-17 / O objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar a eficiência da precificação e os erros de aderência dos Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), conhecidos no mercado de capitais como fundos de investimentos abertos listados e comercializados em bolsas de valores. Para esta avaliação, são realizados testes sobre hipóteses acerca da significância estatística dos mispricings entre (1) os valores das cotas patrimoniais e os preços de fechamentos destes ETFs e (2) sobre a diferença entre os preços de fechamento dos ETFs e dos seus índices de referência. A amostra utilizada é dos oito ETFs comercializados no mercado brasileiro de capitais durante o período de realização do trabalho. Como resultado do esforço de pesquisa realizado, o último capítulo mostra uma tendência a distintos níveis de eficiência da precificação e erros de aderência nos ETFs brasileiros. Enquanto alguns ETFs mais líquidos apresentam prêmios/descontos insignificantes estatisticamente, os prêmios/descontos de outros ETFs se mostraram razoavelmente consideráveis. No que tange aos erros de aderência, a média dos erros do ETFs listados localmente mostrou-se em um patamar intermediário entre aqueles ETFs listados no mercado americano e os de uma seleção de ETFs listados em mercados emergentes. / The objective of this study is to evaluate the pricing efficiency and tracking error of Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), known in the capital market as mutual funds listed and traded on stock markets. For this evaluation, tests are performed on assumptions about the statistical significance of mispricings between (1) the values of equity shares and the closing prices of the ETFs and (2) on the difference between the closing prices of the ETFs and their reference indexes closing prices. The sample is compounded by the eight ETFs that were traded on the Brazilian capital market during the period of the work. As a result of the research effort carried out, the last chapter shows a tendency to different levels of pricing efficiency and tracking errors on Brazilian ETFs. While a few more liquid ETFs presents premium/discounts that are statistically insignificant, some other ETFs’ premium/discounts have proved considerable. With respect to tracking errors, the errors average of ETFs listed locally showed to be in an intermediary level between those ETFs listed in the U.S. market and a selection of ETFs listed in emerging markets.

This thesis examines which factors that affect the number of trades in exchange-traded products (ETPs) on Nordic Derivatives Exchange. Multiple linear regression is used to model the relationship between the number of trades and 65 initially chosen predictor variables. The predictor variables include various indices, commodities, stocks, and volatility measures. Two models are presented, one of which includes a lagged dependent variable. These models explain 89% and 92% of the variance within the data. Foremost, the results confirm previous research advocating the volatility to play a significant role on the number of trades, but now also shown for ETPs. Currency exchange rates, equity indices and palladium are also shown to be statistically significant. In addition, interpretations of the results are given and suggestions for further research. / Den här uppsatsen undersöker vilka faktorer som påverkar antalet avslut i börshandlade produkter (ETP:er) på Nordic Derivatives Exchange. Multipel linjär regression används för att undersöka relationen mellan antalet avslut och 65 på förhand valda regressionsvariabler som vi anser intressanta att undersöka. Dessa regressionsvariabler består av bland annat olika index, råvaror, aktier samt volatilitetsmått. Två modeller presenteras, varav en inkluderar en laggad beroende variabel. Dessa två modeller förklarar 89 % respektive 92% av variationen i datan. Resultatet visar att volatiliteten har en signifikant påverkan med avseende på antal avslut vilket bekräftar tidigare forskning, men visas nu gälla även för ETPer. Valutakurser, aktieindex och palladium visas vara signifikanta. Vidare ges tolkning av resultatet och förslag på framtida forskning.

Möjligheten för aktiemarknadsbolag att kunna genomföra riktade nyemissioner av aktier är ett viktigt inslag på marknaden – inte minst för bolagens kapitalanskaffning. Men med möjligheter kommer också, ofta, risker. Så även här. När en riktad nyemission genomförs och huvudregeln om aktieägarnas företrädesrätt därmed frångås, uppkommer en risk för att befintliga aktieägare, åtminstone vissa av dem, missgynnas. Så sker vanligtvis genom att de aktieägare som står utanför nyemissionen upplever en ekonomisk eller inflytandemässig utspädning av sina innehav. I syfte att reglera dessa risker finns det – inom såväl aktiebolags- som aktiemarknadsrätten – vissa begränsningar som aktiemarknadsbolag behöver iaktta vid beslut om riktade nyemissioner av aktier. Syftet med denna uppsats är att utreda, formulera och diskutera dessa påstådda begränsningar. Den första begränsningen består av beslutsreglerna i ABL, det vill säga reglerna som föreskriver de åtgärder som behöver vidtas inför, vid och efter ett emissionsbeslut. Dessa regler återfinns främst i 13 kap. ABL och innefattar bland annat krav på att ett förslag till beslut ska upprättas och på att beslut fattas med kvalificerad majoritet. Likabehandlingsreglerna i ABL, främst generalklausulerna, utgör den andra begränsningen. En prövning mot generalklausulerna innebär att bolaget i fråga inte får genomföra en riktad nyemission som på ett otillbörligt sätt gynnar någon, en aktieägare eller utomstående, på annan aktieägares bekostnad. Otillbörlighetsrekvisitet inbegriper en helhetsbedömning med fokus på de affärsmässiga motiven, bolagets intresse och förekomsten av missbruk. Nyemissioner torde stå i strid med generalklausulerna i undantagsfall, mot bakgrund av att de är tänkta att tillämpas restriktivt. Den tredje begränsningen som – till skillnad från de två tidigare kategorierna – inte är aktiebolagsrättslig, omfattar de ytterligare krav som aktiemarknadsrättens självreglering, främst god sed på aktiemarknaden, ställer. Med ett fåtal undantag tycks dock några sådana ytterligare eller högre krav inte finnas, vilket ger vid handen att aktiebolags- och aktiemarknadsrätten i hög grad är överlappande på området. De rättsliga följderna av att begränsningarna inte iakttas är, beroende på den enskilda situationen, framför allt klander, skadestånd eller ”marknadens dom”. Slutsatsen är att de tre begränsningarna på ett rimligt sätt balanserar majoritetens och bolagets intresse av en effektiv kapitalanskaffning och minoritetens behov av skydd. Undantag gäller eventuellt för de två generalklausulerna, vilkas tillämpningsområden, främst på grund av otillbörlighetsrekvisitet, är förhållandevis otydliga. Det hade därför varit önskvärt att grunderna för den bedömningen konkretiserades i den vägledande rättstillämpningen framöver.