Bloody Foreigners! Overseas Equity on the London Stock Exchange, 1869-1928
Wesleyan Economic Working Paper No. 2014-001
41 Pages Posted: 17 Jan 2014
Date Written: January 1, 2014
Abstract
This paper presents data on quantity, capital gains, dividend, and total returns for domestic and overseas equities listed on the London Stock Exchange during 1869-1928. Indices are presented for Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, Australia/New Zealand and for the finance, transportation, raw materials, and utilities sectors in each region. Returns and volatility were typically highest in emerging regions and the raw materials sector. Dividend yields were similar across regions and differences in total returns were due largely to disparities in capital gains. Returns of firms in more industrial markets were relatively highly correlated with each other and with developing regions with which they had substantial colonial or trade connections. Contingent liability was most extensively employed where leverage was high and the physical assets were either meager or inaccessible to creditors.
Keywords: Financial Markets, London stock exchange, Investor’s Monthly Manual, long-run stock returns, 19th Century, 20th Century, contingent capital
JEL Classification: G15, N2
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation