What is Tail Risk

This chapter examines the relation between various firm-specific variables and the cross-section of equity returns in 26 developed countries. Univariate portfolio analyses using equal-weighted returns show that low beta, book-to-market equity, and momentum analysis are also priced in the cross-section of developed market returns, whereas short-term reversal and downside beta manifest themselves in the opposite direction. Univariate portfolio analysis based on value-weighted returns reveal that the predictive power of book-to-market equity and short-term reversal is driven by small stocks. Multivariate firm-level cross-sectional regression analysis document that momentum, short-term reversal, illiquidity, idiosyncratic volatility, hybrid tail risk, lower partial moment are related to expected stock returns. Overall, the most robust cross-sectional predictor in developed market is found to be return momentum.