Revista de Economía y Negocios

The Relationship between Financial Integration and Stock Market Efficiency: Evidence from the Pre-And PostGlobal Financial Crisis

Abstract

Bensethom Emna*

The aim of this paper is to study the potential effect of the financial integration and market microstructure in informational efficiency, in the context of the global financial crisis of 2008-2009. Our sample comprises ten developed and African emerging markets over the period from 2003 to 2012. Using the same methodology adopted, our findings show several interesting facts. First, the markets that are more integrated with the US market are also more efficient. Moreover, this significant and positive association is established in both subgroups of developed and African stock markets. Second, the relationship between informational efficiency and financial integration loses its explanatory power over the global financial crisis period and during which African emerging markets seem to be more volatile than their developed counterparts. Overall, our results confirm that the potential benefits of financial integration process are important in the African region, which might attract foreign investors hoping not only to maximize the expected return of their portfolio but also to minimize the associated risk.