TESTING MEAN REVERSION OF STOCK PRICES IN OECD COUNTRIES: EVIDENCE FROM FOURIER THRESHOLD UNIT ROOT TEST

Abstract

Researchers focus on whether stock prices have a unit root, that is, whether they contain a random walk process. If stock prices have a stationary process, that is, if they return to the mean, the effects of shocks are temporary, and it is interpreted that they will return to the trend path over time. If stock prices have transitory shocks, it allows for the prediction of future movements based on past behavior in terms of investment. This study investigates whether stock prices revert to the mean and thus have a random walk process. For this purpose, the Fourier Threshold Unit Root (FTUR) test based on the test methodology of Caner and Hansen (2001) for the period January 1990–January 2021 for 26 OECD countries is applied. The FTUR test takes into account both structural breaks and nonlinearities. The purpose of using Fourier functions to account for structural changes is that they are not affected by the number, location, or shape of breaks. Thus, the power of the test increases. According to the results of this test, stock prices in Austria, Canada, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, and the UK are linear. Therefore, Fourier Augmented Dickey-Fuller (FADF) unit root analysis was performed for these countries. The FTUR test was performed in other countries. According to the results of FTUR and FADF unit root tests, stock prices are found to contain unit roots in some countries except Italy. In some countries, stock prices have a partial unit root structure. In other words, the effects of shocks are permanent, and it is concluded that future returns cannot be predicted in these countries with the random walk process.