Mean Reversion Lessens Mean Blur: Evidence from the S&P Composite Index

Abstract

This study makes use of a very long time series of the S&P Composite Index, checking once more that the rates of return benefit from aggregational normality. It performs unit root tests as well as elementary statistical tests that take advantage of normality. It finds that mean blur is not consistent with the hypothesis of random walk with constant parameters, because the means of the annual real rates of linear return can be estimated as usual. It gives further evidence that the rates of return on the S&P Composite Index are mean-reverting.