本篇論文主要以事後的角度，分析美國實施量化寬鬆政策前後，在股市和房市上分別以ETF和REITs作為工具，研究如何進行國際資產配置以及匯率避險。國際資產配置包含兩項重要的工作：投資組合的建立以及匯率風險的管理，首先本研究會先以平均數─變異數投資組合模型以及夏普評鑑法進行投資組合的建構，接著以詹森迴歸法比較該投資組合與市場上其他指標基金有無超額報酬，最後再以最低變異數避險比率進行匯率避險，觀察績效改善的情況。 研究期間為2003年1月至2014年3月，時間序列切成金融危機前、金融危機期間、QE I、QE II和QE III期間，分析ETF投資在已開發和新興共24個國家，以及REITs投資在18個國家的結果。本篇研究發現： 一、從相關係數的變化可以發現一個國家所引發的金融事件可能會成為國際性的金融危機。 二、前後三次量化寬鬆政策成效以第一次最為明顯，之後報酬率的成長大抵上和量化寬鬆的規模呈正向關係。 三、金融危機前大多配置在新興國家，但股市於前兩次量化寬鬆時期配置於新興國家的比重較多，在第三次時則較多配置在已開發國家；而房市在三次量化寬鬆期間並無配置於某一型國家的偏好。 四、三次量化寬鬆期間最佳配置組合均優於新興國家型指標基金，說明單獨投資在新興國家頗不理想，突顯出國際資產配置的重要性。 五、金融危機前進行匯率避險績效可獲得改善，但除了ETF最適配置組合在QE I時期有獲得相當的績效改善之外，其他時期和REITs最適配置組合僅只報酬率標準差下降，績效改善幅度均不大。

<p>Background: The global capital markets have enlarged investment opportunities and thus also the sources of funds for companies which increasingly face global markets for their services and products. Huge capital movements show that investors are constantly searching ways to minimise risk and maximise returns. In the light of the substantial growth of assets in institutional funds, an important question for international finance is the degree to which institutional investors have diversified their portfolios internationally. </p><p>Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the international diversification of portfolio investments of institutional investors in Japan, the US and the UK and deepen into international diversification in portfolios of Japanese institutional investors. </p><p>Demarcations: Institutional investors can use their power directly in companies or indirectly through capital markets. In this thesis, I will not discuss corporate governance issues. Nor is it an aim of this thesis to try to find the optimal portfolio or the best performing portfolio. </p><p>Method: Secondary data in this study are based on several sources from academic literature as well as from public data and statistics. Primary data for this study include interviews and background discussions as well as my own calculations. Interviews were made in order to obtain more information and make a proper comparison. The interviews were held in Tokyo, Japan. </p><p>Conclusions: International diversification of portfolio investment of institutional investors tend to differ more between countries where the investors are based than between the type of investor in different countries. Institutional investors in UK tend to diversify their investments more internationally compared to Japanese and US counterparts. Japanese institutional investors tend to have very similar international diversification strategies. This can be explained by cultural aspects which traditionally have promoted risk averse and domestic investment strategies. Furthermore, there are reasons which make investment strategies more country contingent. Currency risk, level of knowledge and domestic investment opportunities have critical impact on international investments.</p>

Background: The global capital markets have enlarged investment opportunities and thus also the sources of funds for companies which increasingly face global markets for their services and products. Huge capital movements show that investors are constantly searching ways to minimise risk and maximise returns. In the light of the substantial growth of assets in institutional funds, an important question for international finance is the degree to which institutional investors have diversified their portfolios internationally. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the international diversification of portfolio investments of institutional investors in Japan, the US and the UK and deepen into international diversification in portfolios of Japanese institutional investors. Demarcations: Institutional investors can use their power directly in companies or indirectly through capital markets. In this thesis, I will not discuss corporate governance issues. Nor is it an aim of this thesis to try to find the optimal portfolio or the best performing portfolio. Method: Secondary data in this study are based on several sources from academic literature as well as from public data and statistics. Primary data for this study include interviews and background discussions as well as my own calculations. Interviews were made in order to obtain more information and make a proper comparison. The interviews were held in Tokyo, Japan. Conclusions: International diversification of portfolio investment of institutional investors tend to differ more between countries where the investors are based than between the type of investor in different countries. Institutional investors in UK tend to diversify their investments more internationally compared to Japanese and US counterparts. Japanese institutional investors tend to have very similar international diversification strategies. This can be explained by cultural aspects which traditionally have promoted risk averse and domestic investment strategies. Furthermore, there are reasons which make investment strategies more country contingent. Currency risk, level of knowledge and domestic investment opportunities have critical impact on international investments.