On asymmetric relationship of India volatility index (India VIX) with stock market return and risk management

Abstract

This study examines the asymmetric relationship between India volatility index (India VIX) and stock market returns, and demonstrates that Nifty returns are negatively related to the changes in India VIX levels, but in case of high upward movements in the market, the returns on the two indices tend to move independently. When the market takes sharp downward turn, the relationship is not as significant for higher quantiles. This property of India VIX makes it a strong candidate for risk management tool whereby derivative products based on the volatility index can be used as a tool for portfolio insurance against worst declines. We also find that India VIX captures stock market volatility better than traditional measures of volatility including ARCH/GARCH class of models. Finally, we test whether changes in India VIX can be used as a signal for switching portfolios. Our analysis of timing strategy based on change in India VIX exhibits that switching to large-cap (mid-cap) portfolio when India VIX increases (decreases) by a certain percentage point can be useful for maintaining positive returns on a portfolio.