THE PERFORMANCE OF SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE INVESTMENT FUNDS AND EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS: EVIDENCE FROM JOHANNESBURG STOCK EXCHANGE

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Abstract

The research reported in this article explored how the JSE SRI Index performed relative to exchange-traded funds during the period of economic growth as well as during the period of economic decline between 2004 and 2014. The JSE SRI Index and exchange traded funds are analysed by a single factor model as well as other risk-adjusted performance measures including the Sharpe ratio, the Treynor ratio and the M-squared ratio. The single-factor model regression results suggest that during the period of economic growth the JSE SRI index neither significantly outperformed nor underperformed the exchange-traded funds. However, the JSE SRI Index significantly underperformed the exchange-traded funds during the period of economic decline. Further tests that engaged other risk-adjusted measures indicated that the exchange-traded funds performed better than the JSE SRI index in both periods. Based on this research it is recommended that further research be conducted using models that can control for the liquidity difference in funds.

Keywords: Socially Responsible Investment Index, Exchange-Traded Funds, Performance, Capital Asset Pricing Model, Sharpe Ratio, Treynor Ratio, M-Squared Ratio

How to cite this paper: Marozva, G. (2014). The performance of socially responsible investment funds and exchange-traded funds: Evidence from Johannesburg stock exchange. Corporate Ownership & Control, 11(4), 150-159. https://doi.org/10.22495/cocv11i4p11