The impact of selected macroeconomic variables on resource equity prices on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange

Abstract

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