Stock Market Performance and the Macroeconomic Factors: Evidence from Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE)

Abstract

Stock market as a main component of the capital market of an economy plays a vital role in determining the development of the economy. Macroeconomic factors cause significant fluctuations in the performance of the stock market. This study is aimed at identifying the impact of macroeconomic variables on the performance of the stock market in Sri Lanka. The five macroeconomic variables: real gross domestic production (RGDP), inflation (wholesale price index), money supply (M2), exchange rate (LKR/USD) and interest rate (Average weighted prime lending rate) were selected as independent variables for the study. The dependent variables were All Share Price Index (ASPI) and the market capitalization (MC) of Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE), all data collected quarterly for the period 2004-2016. Johansen co-integration test, Vector Error Correction Model (VECM), and Granger causality models were utilized to derive conclusions. Co-integration was observed between the macroeconomic variables and the stock market performance. Long run causal relationship was noticed between the macroeconomic variables and the ASPI, and the long run equilibrium could be reached at a speed of 17.700%. Significant Short term causality was running from macroeconomic variables such as RGDP, inflation, money supply and interest rate to ASPI at 5% significance level, and inflation and exchange rate were the variables which had a positive influence on ASPI.  Long term relationship was evidenced between the macroeconomic variables RGDP, inflation, money supply, exchange rate, interest rate and the market capitalization of CSE with the speed of adjustment of 19.500%. Significant short term causality was running from inflation and money supply to market capitalization of CSE at a significance level of 5%, and macroeconomic variables RGDP, money supply and interest rate had a negative influence on the market capitalization of CSE.  Causality between, money supply and ASPI, inflation and ASPI, money supply and market capitalization, inflation and market capitalization were the observed bidirectional causalities. Unidirectional causalities were running from RGDP to ASPI and from interest rate to ASPI. The lower R-square values of 26.888% and 22.656% of the VECM models implied the performance of the stock market of Sri Lanka is affected by other macroeconomic factors in addition to the five selected macroeconomic variables taken for the study: firm specific factors and industry specific factors.