The thesis deals with analysis of performance of the Chinese stock market. The first chapter presents basic general characteristics of the stock market and equity investment. The second chapter focuses on the specifics of Chinese stock market. The third, last, chapter analyzes performance of the Chinese stock market.

There exists significant literature investigating the link between macroeconomic variables and stock market returns. Most previous studies utilise an overall stock market index to measure stock market returns, thereby aggregating a number of different industries into a single index. This research investigated the link between macroeconomic variables and a single sector’s share returns, being the Resources sector. The aim was to ascertain whether or not a correlation exists between the Resource Index of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and four macroeconomic variables, namely: GDP, Inflation, Interest rates and the Rand/US Dollar Exchange Rate. Quarterly data for all 4 macroeconomic variables and the Resource Index was collected for the period 2002 to 2011 and tests of correlation performed between each macroeconomic variable and the Resource Index. The findings reveal that there is a positive correlation between GDP and resources share returns, a negative correlation between interest rates and resources share returns and a positive relationship between the Rand/US Dollar Exchange rate and resources share returns. The relationship between the inflation and the resource share returns proved inconclusive.Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

The argument with regards to whether macro-economic fundamentals determine stock market behaviour is very important because of the roles it plays in an economy. Such roles include: pooling and trading of risks, mobilization of savings, provision of liquidity and allocation of capital. However, the stock market will only perform such roles effectively if the macro-economic environment is conducive. This study examined the behaviour of the All Share Index (ALSI) and market capitalization on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in response to changes in the domestic and international macro-economic fundamentals such as the consumer price index, rand-dollar real exchange rates, domestic GDP, yield on South African government bonds, yield on United States government bonds and United States GDP. The study used cointegration and error correction techniques proposed by Johansen and Juselius (1990) to test for long run relationship. Two separate models were estimated and results obtained show that the two proxies for the stock market behaviour (All share Index and market capitalization) are true endogenous variables, but react differently to economic fundamentals. The consumer price index has a significant negative impact on the JSE share price index while market capitalization is determined predominantly by the yield on South African government bonds. The exchange rate seems to have had little or no influence on the share price index, but becomes negative and significant in the case of market capitalization. The yield on United States government bonds also produced a strong influence on both the share price index and market capitalization. While it has a negative significant impact on share prices, it produced a positive significant impact on market capitalization. In order to ascertain whether the South African interest rate or the United States interest rate is more important in explaining the share price and market capitalization, each of the variables were estimated in the model separately, the result obtained reveals that the United States interest rate is more important than the domestic interest rate in explaining the share price and market capitalization on the JSE. This implies that investors need to observe the USA interest rate before investing in South African equities. A comparison of the responses of share price index and market capitalization to impulses from the macro-economic variables tested reveals that both proxies elicit a positive response from aggregate output. The share price index responds more significantly to impulses from output growth than the market capitalization, meaning that, as aggregate production increases, the share price index tends to respond positively and quickly. The exchange rate produced mixed result from the two proxies, while it produced a positive response from the market capitalization; an initial positive response was noted in the share price index that immediately turned negative. Another glaring contrast was identified in the response of both proxies to impulses from the United States interest rate. The share price index responded positively while the market capitalization produced a negative response. This finding reveals that the two proxies actually respond differently to macro-economic variables. The variance decomposition of both stock prices and market capitalization reveals that the yield on United States government bonds has a more significant absorption potential than the South African government bonds. However, the absorption process is slower in the case of the market capitalization. The exchange rate has a greater impact on the market capitalization than stock prices. The overall assessment shows that share prices respond faster than market capitalization to macro-economic fundamentals. The study also shows that the increased openness of the South African economy by way of relaxation of the exchange control on capital account transaction has allowed the USA market to play a crucial role in equity prices in South Africa. Three main policy recommendations results from the study. Firstly, if inflation is well monitored, then the local equity market is bound to perform strongly resulting in strong shares earning growth. Secondly, the exchange rate should be made to be less volatile so that long term investment plans across borders can be further enhanced. Thirdly, financial analyst and investors in South Africa need to analyse macro-economic developments in the United States before investing in equities in South Africa.

The main question this master thesis wants to answer is how much from their disposable income the Czech households save and how do they use their savings on the capital market. The thesis analyse situation and trend of the Czech households saving rate, changings of the marginal saving rate and checks in which financial instruments the Czech households alocate their savings. The thesis also focus on comparison of the Czech households data with the foreign households especially with the German, the Belgium and the Britain households as well as with Visegrád group households. Middle part of the thesis contains a forecast of future progress, which is compared with the similar forecast from year 2006, as well as the relationship of the government and the household's savings rate and possibilities and impacts of its regulation.The thesis is finished with the conclusion which summarize the most important results.

This article compares the stock exchanges in Vienna, Budapest, Frankfurt and Milan. It settles basic information about their development, the subject of exchange and the classification of market segments. This work also characterizes the trade system of each of the stock exchanges and the liquidity of spot market, with particular emphasis on stock market. A part of this analysis is the comparison of markets based on aspects such as market capitalization, trade volume or the quantity of trade. Last chapter is devoted to the interconnection of stock markets, which is explored by the means of correlation coefficient among different indexes. These indexes show a strong link of the markets and through splitting the timeframe into periods of (2000-2004 - before Hungary's EU entry and after - 2004-2009), a stronger correlation was discovered during the period of index growth (after the Hungary's EU entry). By creating a more autoregressive model VAR, which describes individual processes among stock indexes and the direction of dependency, the hypothesis of strong interconnection of stock markets was proven. VAR model verified one-sided reliance among indexes and the rising level of integration of world markets.

Thesis is focused on trading information systems in capital markets. The aim of this thesis is to analyze trading information systems and create model of hypothetical online trading platform. The model should consolidate the knowledge of the existing solutions for trading in the capital market. The thesis is divided into three parts. The theoretical part provides a basic description of trading information systems in the capital market. Second, analytic part of the thesis is focused on structure of brokerage trading information system. The first analysis is focused on analyze portfolio of the current trading platforms offered by brokerage. The second analysis is focused on analyze internal functionality structure of the selected group of trading platform. The aim of this analysis is to find and describe the portfolio functionalities of trading platforms and identified the basis or standard functionalities of trading platforms. Resulting data from second analysis are important for third part for this thesis. Third, main part of this thesis is devoted on creating model of hypothetical online trading platform. This part consist several sets of models and together created one complex model of hypothetical online trading platform.

The question for this thesis is whether the four major stock markets--the United States, Great Britain, West Germany, and Japan are interdependent or segmented. The study period runs from February 1979 to June 1987, with the Wall Street Journal as a source of data. The Granger causality test is used to test for relationships among the four major stock markets. The thesis is divided into five chapters-- 1) statement of the problem; 2) survey of literature; 3) methodology; 4) results and 5) conclusions. The overall findings of this thesis indicate that there are few or no comovement similarities among all the four stock markets. However, the findings do point out the significant influence of the United States stock market on the other three stock markets.

The purpose of the study is to examine if the gender composition of a board has an effect on a company’s financial performance by analyzing their operating margin and return on capital employed (ROCE). The study is based on a quantitative method, studying companies listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. Previous research has not been studying the gender composition of boards of Swedish companies and its effect on the company's financial performance in regard to their operating margin and return on capital employed. Therefore, this study has examined that in order to draw a conclusion regarding its possible effects. The data that is collected will be used as support in the analysis in order to understand how the current composition and effects are connected. This study will contribute with knowledge for companies in Sweden regarding gender composition of boards and the possible effects on their financial performance. But also, as support for the ongoing discussion regarding board composition and the current inequality in gender representation. In conclusion the study shows that return on capital employed and the proportion of women in the board has a positive relationship. Meaning that the bigger proportion of women in a board, the better return on capital employed the company has. However, for operating margin there was not a significant relationship and therefore a conclusion regarding that cannot be made.

The capability to be able to determine the future progression on the worlds stock exchange is an important issue, which has become discernible in the last decades. An important role of this progression lies within the fast advancements in computerized technology. Aforementioned document describes a mechanism used for prediction of the future price of a certain stock. The strategy of trading is build upon this mechanism, and the core of this prediction system is an artificial neural network. Inputs used in this network are indicators derived from technical analysis. This trading system was implemented into historical trades and successfully tested.

The capability to be able to determine the future progression on the worlds stock exchange is an important issue, which has become discernible in the last decades. An important role of this progression lies within the fast advancements in computerized technology.Aforementioned document describes a mechanism used for prediction of the future price of a certain stock. The strategy of trading is build upon this mechanism, and the core of this prediction system is an artificial neural network. Inputs used in this network are indicators derived from technical analysis. This trading system was implemented into historical trades and successfully tested.