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The price elasticity of demand coefficient for a good or service is a measure of the sensitivity, or responsiveness, of the quantity demanded of a product to changes in the price of that product. The price elasticity of demand coefficients were generated for goods and services in nine different industries for the years 1972 to 1984. A simple linear demand function was employed, using the changes in the Consumer Price Index as a proxy for changes in price and Personal Consumption Expenditures, taken from the National Income and Product Accounts, as a proxy for quantity. Beta measures the sensitivity, or responsiveness, of a stock to the market. An industry average beta coefficient was generated for each of the nine industries over the time period, using the beta coefficients published by Value Line for firms which met certain criteria. In order to test the relationship between the price elasticity of demand and an industry average beta coefficient, a simple regression was performed using the beta coefficient as the dependent variable and the price elasticity of demand coefficient as the independent variable. The results broke down into 3 basic categories: those industries for which there seemed to be no relationship, those industries where there was a fairly strong probability that a relationship exists and the price elasticity of demand explains at least part of the variation in beta coefficients, and those industries where there was a very high probability that a relationship does exist and the variation in the price elasticity of demand coefficients substantially explained the variation in the industry average beta coefficients. The first category includes the food at home, tobacco, and shoe industries. The second category includes the men's clothing, the women's clothing, and the alcoholic beverages industries, and the third includes the automobile, airline, and fast-food restaurant industries.

The Securities and Exchange Conunission (1974) has stated that the one of the fundamental underpinnings of federal securities law is the external auditor opinion of registrant financial statements. The SEC believes that the corporate practice of voluntary auditor change may be perceived by the investing public as attempted opinion shopping. The monitoring hypothesis of Jensen and Meckling (1976), on the other hand, posits that companies may change auditors in an attempt to control net agency costs. The objective of this dissertation is determine if the monitoring hypothesis is descriptive of the phenomenon of voluntary auditor change. The monitoring hypothesis posits that changes in net agency costs are related to the change in auditor quality at the time of an auditor change. and that both changes in agency costs and change in auditor quality are related to the market reaction to the auditor change. Auditor changes from 1980 to 1986 for New York Stock Exchange and American Stock Exchange companies were analyzed. The results indicate that changes in agency costs are related to change in auditor quality, as measured by the difference, from the old auditor to the new, in the auditor's share of the industry audit fees for the company that is changing auditors. Significant variables that measure changes in agency costs aregrowth in company sales, change in long-term compensation plans, and change in the dividend payout ratio. The results also indicate that changes in agency costs are related to market reaction to a change in auditors, but that the change in auditor quality is not. Variables that are significant in explaining the relationship are change in the debt ratio, change in the holdings of the largest stockholder, and prior receipt of a qualified opinion or disclosure of a disagreement between the company and the previous auditor. The results provide strong support for the monitoring hypothesis and weak support for the opinion shopping hypothesis. / Ph. D.

This research tests for persistence in tax generated earnings changes. Earnings persistence is indicated by the capitalization of earnings by securities markets. This research disaggregates accounting earnings and examines the security markets’ evaluation of the relative permanence or transience of the component of earnings resulting from revenue law changes. Two proxies for tax generated earnings changes are evaluated though an examination of earnings response coefficients. The results indicate that tax generated earnings changes are not expected to persist beyond two accounting periods, and may reflect the ability of firms to manage tax earnings. / Ph. D.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: We study Monte Carlo methods for pricing American options where the stock price dynamics follow exponential pure jump L évy models. Only stock price dynamics for a single underlying are considered. The thesis begins with a general introduction to American Monte Carlo methods. We then consider two classes of these methods. The fi rst class involves regression - we briefly consider the regression method of Tsitsiklis and Van Roy [2001] and analyse in detail the least squares Monte Carlo method of Longsta and Schwartz [2001]. The variance reduction techniques of Rasmussen [2005] applicable to the least squares Monte Carlo method, are also considered. The stochastic mesh method of Broadie and Glasserman [2004] falls into the second class we study. Furthermore, we consider the dual method, independently studied by Andersen and Broadie [2004], Rogers [2002] and Haugh and Kogan [March 2004] which generates a high bias estimate from a stopping rule. The rules we consider are estimates of the boundary between the continuation and exercise regions of the option. We analyse in detail how to obtain such an estimate in the least squares Monte Carlo and stochastic mesh methods. These models are implemented using both a pseudo-random number generator, and the preferred choice of a quasi-random number generator with bridge sampling. As a base case, these methods are implemented where the stock price process follows geometric Brownian motion. However the focus of the thesis is to implement the Monte Carlo methods for two pure jump L évy models, namely the variance gamma and the normal inverse Gaussian models. We first provide a broad discussion on some of the properties of L évy processes, followed by a study of the variance gamma model of Madan et al. [1998] and the normal inverse Gaussian model of Barndor -Nielsen [1995]. We also provide an implementation of a variation of the calibration procedure of Cont and Tankov [2004b] for these models. We conclude with an analysis of results obtained from pricing American options using these models. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ons bestudeer Monte Carlo metodes wat Amerikaanse opsies, waar die aandeleprys dinamika die patroon van die eksponensiële suiwer sprong L évy modelle volg, prys. Ons neem slegs aandeleprys dinamika vir 'n enkele aandeel in ag. Die tesis begin met 'n algemene inleiding tot Amerikaanse Monte Carlo metodes. Daarna bestudeer ons twee klasse metodes. Die eerste behels regressie - ons bestudeer die regressiemetode van Tsitsiklis and Van Roy [2001] vlugtig en analiseer die least squares Monte Carlo metode van Longsta and Schwartz [2001] in detail. Ons gee ook aandag aan die variansie reduksie tegnieke van Rasmussen [2005] wat van toepassing is op die least squares Monte Carlo metodes. Die stochastic mesh metode van Broadie and Glasserman [2004] val in die tweede klas wat ons onder oë neem. Ons sal ook aandag gee aan die dual metode, wat 'n hoë bias skatting van 'n stop reël skep, en afsonderlik deur Andersen and Broadie [2004], Rogers [2002] and Haugh and Kogan [March 2004] bestudeer is. Die reëls wat ons bestudeer is skattings van die grense tussen die voortsettings- en oefenareas van die opsie. Ons analiseer in detail hoe om so 'n benadering in die least squares Monte Carlo en stochastic mesh metodes te verkry. Hierdie modelle word geï mplementeer deur beide die pseudo kansgetalgenerator en die verkose beste quasi kansgetalgenerator met brug steekproefneming te gebruik. As 'n basisgeval word hierdie metodes geï mplimenteer wanneer die aandeleprysproses 'n geometriese Browniese beweging volg. Die fokus van die tesis is om die Monte Carlo metodes vir twee suiwer sprong L évy modelle, naamlik die variance gamma en die normal inverse Gaussian modelle, te implimenteer. Eers bespreek ons in breë trekke sommige van die eienskappe van L évy prossesse en vervolgens bestudeer ons die variance gamma model soos in Madan et al. [1998] en die normal inverse Gaussian model soos in Barndor -Nielsen [1995]. Ons gee ook 'n implimentering van 'n variasie van die kalibreringsprosedure deur Cont and Tankov [2004b] vir hierdie modelle. Ons sluit af met die resultate wat verkry is, deur Amerikaanse opsies met behulp van hierdie modelle te prys.

Su Qian. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 66-70). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p."i,ii" / Acknowledgements --- p.iii / Table of Content --- p.iv / List of Tables and Figures --- p.v / List of Abbreviation --- p.vi / Chapter Chapter 1. --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter Chapter 2. --- Literature Review --- p.4 / Chapter 2.1 --- Benefits of Cross-listing --- p.4 / Chapter 2.2 --- The Price-discovery process of cross-listed stocks --- p.8 / Chapter 2.3 --- Previous studies on Chinese cross-listed stocks --- p.2 / Chapter Chapter 3. --- China Overseas Listing --- p.15 / Chapter 3.1 --- The history of overseas listing --- p.15 / Chapter 3.2 --- Methods of overseas listing --- p.17 / Chapter 3.3 --- The motivation for Chinese firms to list overseas --- p.18 / Chapter 3.4 --- The prospects of China Overseas listing --- p.21 / Chapter Chapter 4. --- Price-discovery contributions to China-backed stocks cross-listed on SEHK and NYSE --- p.23 / Chapter 4.1 --- Data --- p.23 / Chapter 4.2 --- Methodology --- p.25 / Chapter 4.3 --- Empirical Results and Interpretation --- p.31 / Chapter 4.4 --- Cross-Sectional analysis of NYSE contributions to the price-discovery process --- p.40 / Chapter Chapter 5. --- Price-discovery contributions to the cross-listed H share and A share --- p.45 / Chapter 5.1 --- Data and Sample details --- p.46 / Chapter 5.2 --- Methodology --- p.49 / Chapter 5.3 --- Empirical results and interpretation --- p.54 / Chapter 5.4 --- A brief analysis of cointegration determinants --- p.57 / Chapter 5.5 --- The cointegration between H share and A share- Daily analysis --- p.61 / Chapter Chapter 6. --- Conclusion --- p.64 / Reference --- p.66 / Tables --- p.71

The purpose of this study was to determine whether publicly disclosed violations by U.S corporations, resulting in convictions or settlements, erode shareholder investment in the offending organizations. This study was designed to assess whether or not the shareholders' reactions to corporations' violations were related to a decline in organizations' stock valuations across sectors. In addition, this study attempted to assess whether or not shareholder support, expressed by stock prices, declined more after a corporation was prosecuted or reached a settlement for violations, as compared to corporations that disclosed earnings disappointments. Also, this study investigated the stock prices of violating corporations compared to the non-offending corporations from within the same business sector, as well as considered the percentage decline for repeat offenders for violation two compared to violation one. Opposite to hypothesis, results showed that stock prices for the violating companies were significantly greater 12 months after the violation compared to the other months and no significant differences in percent decline between the eight sectors on any of the five decline measures. There were also no differences between violating companies and their matched companies. Companies with a violation had significantly greater stock prices overall than those without a violation.

This study of automatic wage adjustments to changes in price levels will do the following: (1) give the historical background of cost-of-living wage adjustments to changes in price levels; (2) show whether there is a need for adjusting wages to changes in price levels; (3) show whether or not industry can afford to pay wages that are automatically adjusted to changes in price levels; (4) list some of the contracts between labor and capital that contain an example of the automatic cost-of-living wage adjustment; (5) summarize the problem and draw conclusions from the study as a whole.

This thesis attempts to analyze the market response of stock prices of major U.S. banks to the February, 1987 Brazilian loan default announcement. The study's general hypothesis is that the market revalued stock prices according to each bank's amount of Brazilian loan exposure. The first chapter examines the significance of the default announcement. A survey of related literature is presented in the second chapter. Chapter III specifies the methodological techniques involved in analysis of the data. Chapter IV reports the findings of the study. Conclusions about the results are drawn in Chapter V. The results indicate the market is efficient. They also suggest that individual exposure was the major determinant of bank stock price decline.

This study examines the importance of public research and development (R&D) expenditures and innovations (prices) to U S agricultural productivity employing panel vector error correction econometric technique Specifically, time-series and panel unit root tests, panel cointegration procedures, panel causality tests, and vector error correction model are used in the analysis. Empirical application to U S state-level data for 1960-2004 suggests positive and statistically significant influence of both supply-side drivers, in the form of public R&D expenditures, and demand-side drivers, in the form of innovations (prices), on total factor productivity growth.