Calendar Anomalies In Kuwait Stock Exchange: Anomalous Evidence

Abstract

Calendar anomalies such as January and weekend effects were found to exist in many international stock markets. Explanations of these anomalies are vast and so far are not robust. This paper examines these anomalies in a distinct emerging market, Kuwait stock market (KSE). With Kuwait joining the World Trade Organization treaty (WTO) and by opening its stock market to foreign investors, it becomes important to investigate stock behavior in KSE. The study finds interesting regularities in trading patterns of investors related to the weekend as well as to the day of the week. That is, there exists a weekend effect and is robust to the methodology applied. However, this effect is different from that uncovered in other developed stock markets in the sense that the first trading day (Saturday in KSE) shows positive returns and the second trading day (Sunday in KSE) shows negative returns. Other days show no systematic behavior and if detected, it is insignificant. On the other hand, January effect is not detected in KSE and returns in January are mot different from those in other months. However, returns during summer months (May-September) tend to be significantly higher than returns during other months of the year (October-April) in what is termed as summer effect. The most plausible elucidation relates to human factors as investors in KSE sense no unhealthy information about firms over the weekend and hence make their portfolio acquisition decisions in Saturdays and reverse these decisions on next day to capitalize on their marginal profits.