Testing Weak-Form Market Efficiency On The TSX

Abstract

This study tests the validity of the weak-form EMH on the Canadian TSX equity market using seven TSX daily index returns. Quantitatively, a variety of statistical tests is used to test for the randomness of return series. Results of the common statistical (i.e., the autocorrelation, the BG, the runs) tests all suggest that returns are serially correlated, except returns on the TSX 60 capped index. After rejecting the RWM of TSX indices using univariate unit root (i.e., ADF, PP, KPSS), we proceed to test for the possibility of nonlinear dynamic patterns present in return series. BDS results reject an IID underlying residual series after fitting AR(2) to TSX daily index returns, indicating that a deterministic chaotic process describes the data well. This finding of a temporal dependency is supported also by results of the R/S analysis, which indicates that all TSX index returns possess long-memory properties of an anti-persistent trend-reversing behaviour with two indices showing stronger degree of anti-correlation and five indices showing weaker degree of anti-correlation. Overall, results uniformly reject the RWM governing TSX equity index returns, implying that the Canadian equity market is weak-form inefficient.