MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING STATE BANK OF VIETNAM HO CHI MINH UNIVERSITY OF BANKING ---------- GRADUATION THESIS FACTORS AFFECTING THE PERFORMANCE OF INVESTMENT FUNDS IN VIETNAM MAJOR: BANKING AND FINANCE CODE: 7340201 HUYNH HOAI AN HO CHI MINH CITY, YEAR 2024 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING STATE BANK OF VIETNAM HO CHI MINH UNIVERSITY OF BANKING ---------- GRADUATION THESIS FACTORS AFFECTING THE PERFORMANCE OF INVESTMENT FUNDS IN VIETNAM MAJOR: BANKING AND FINANCE CODE: 7340201 Student’s Name: HUYNH HOAI AN Student’s ID: 050608200208 Class: HQ8 – GE04 SCIENTIFIC SUPERVISOR DR. NGUYEN DUY LINH HO CHI MINH CITY, YEAR 2024 i ABSTRACT The strong development of Vietnam's financial market in recent years has sparked a wave of new investors joining the stock market to find a potential investment channel. For individuals who do not have expertise in the financial sector, it is extremely difficult to make a reasonable investment choice, since then the investment fund has emerged as a professional and safe investment channel, simultaneously brings attractive returns to investors. The rapid increase in the number of new investors coupled with the increased demand to deposit money in investment funds is the driving force for the strong development of the "Investment Fund" field with outstanding profits, followed by the increasing number of investment funds in Vietnam.
From the reason above, choosing a reasonable investment fund with a good return is one thing that makes investors concerned. Predicting and evaluating the performance of an investment fund requires evaluation based on many aspects as well as different factors. The thesis "Factors affecting the performance of investment funds in Vietnam" is made through the study of 16 investment funds in Vietnam in the period from January 2020 to December 2023, will clarify the factors that investors need to pay attention when investing in funds. The thesis uses the GLS regression method with the dependent variable being the performance of the investment fund (FRR), calculated by Sharpe ratio and the independent variables being the total net asset of the fund (TNA), portfolio turnover rate (PTR), fund’s expense ratio (FER), age of the fund (AGE), net cash flow (NCF), inflation rate (INF), and money supply growth (MSG).
After testing and correcting the defects of research model, the results show that the variables of total net asset, fund’s expense ratio, age of the fund, net cash flow and money supply growth have a significant positive influence on the performance of investment funds in Vietnam, while the portfolio turnover rate variable has a negative effect. In addition, the inflation rate has a negative correlation with investment performance, but it is not statistically significant in the research model. ii Based on the research results, the thesis contributes to propose suggestions and policy implications for fund managers to come up with flexible and appropriate investment strategies to improve the fund's performance as well as limit the risks in the process of fund management. Keywords: investment fund, performance, total assets, portfolio turnover rate, expense ratio, age of the fund, net cash flow, inflation rate, money supply growth.
iii STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT My name is Huynh Hoai An, and I solemnly affirm that the research topic "Factors affecting the performance of investment funds in Vietnam" is my individual research project, completed through the process of work and experimental research under the guidance of Dr. Nguyen Duy Linh. The research results are truthful, free from any copying of materials, and have not been fully disclosed anywhere. All data and citations in the thesis are clearly annotated with transparent and traceable sources.
I take full responsibility for this commitment. Ho Chi Minh City, day…month…, 2024 Author Huynh Hoai An iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS After a period of study and completion of the project "Factors affecting the performance of investment funds in Vietnam”, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to those individuals who have assisted me during this research period. I extend my profound respect and gratitude to Dr. Nguyen Duy Linh, who provided dedicated guidance, imparted knowledge, shared experiences, and supplied the necessary information for me to successfully complete this research.
I sincerely appreciate the leadership of Ho Chi Minh University of Banking for organizing and facilitating favorable conditions throughout the process of completing my thesis. I am grateful to my family and loved ones who have consistently stood by me, offering encouragement, care, and support throughout my academic journey and the completion of this thesis. Due to my limited knowledge and the fact that I have not extensively delved into the subject matter, I acknowledge that the thesis may have shortcomings. I earnestly welcome feedback and additional guidance from esteemed professors to enhance the completeness of the thesis.
I express my heartfelt thanks! v CONTENTS ABSTRACT. i STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT. iv LIST OF ACRONYMS. ix LIST OF TABLES .x LIST OF FIGURES.
xi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION. Urgency and rationale for the choice of topic. Research subjects and range. Practical scientific significance.
Data collection and processing .6 vi CHAPTER 2: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND EMPIRICAL STUDIES. Concept of investment fund. The performance of investment fund. Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH).
Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT). Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM). Arbitrage Pricing Theory (APT). Factors influencing the performance of fund.
Overview of some experimental studies on the performance of investment funds and factors affecting the performance of investment funds. Experimental studies in various countries .34 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH MODEL AND METHODOLOGY. Overview of the research model. Explanation of variables.
Sample and research data .51 CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. Current status of investment fund operations in Vietnam. Correlation analysis of the research model. Comparison between Pooled OLS, FEM, and REM models.
Testing model defects. Model correction using GLS. Discussion of research results .68 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS, POLICY IMPLICATIONS. Proposals regarding fund size for investment funds in Vietnam.
Proposals regarding portfolio turnover rate for investment funds in Vietnam. Proposals regarding expense ratio for investment funds in Vietnam. Proposals regarding fund age for investment funds in Vietnam. Proposals on net cash flow for investment funds in Vietnam.
Proposals on money supply growth for investment funds in Vietnam. Limitations of the study and future research directions. Limitations of the study. Future research directions.
LIST OF INVESTMENT FUNDS IN VIETNAM IN THE THESIS SAMPLE. 100 ix LIST OF ACRONYMS Acronyms Meaning AGE Age of fund AGE Age of the fund APT Arbitrage Pricing Theory CAPM Capital Asset Pricing Model CML Capital Market Line CPI Consumer Price Index EMH Efficient Market Hypothesis ETF Exchange trade fund FEM Fixed Effect Model FER Fund’s expense ratio FRR The performance of the fund GDP Gross domestic product GLS Generalized Least Squares IMF International Monetary Fund INF Inflation rate MPT Modern Portfolio Theory MSG Money supply growth NCF Net cash flow OLS Ordinary Least Squares PTR Portfolio turnover rate REM Random Effect Model SBV State Bank of Vietnam SML Security Market Line SPSS SPSS data statistical software SSC State Securities Commission TNA Total assets of the fund VIF Variance inflation factor x LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1: Summary of research outlines .2: Statistical significance and expected signs of variables in the model .1: Descriptive statistics of variables .2: Correlation matrix between variables .3: VIF multicollinearity test .4: Results of regression analysis according to Pooled OLS and FEM .5: F-test to choose between two models Pooled OLS and FEM .6: Results of regression analysis according to REM and FEM .7: Hausman test to choose between 2 models FEM and REM .8: Lagrange test results .9: Results of the Wooldridge test .10: Results of GLS regression analysis .11: Testing results using the GLS method .68 xi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 4.1: Statistics on the number of investment funds and total net asset value (NAV) of funds in the Vietnamese stock market.2: Statistics on the number of funds by type and percentage of open-end funds in the Vietnamese stock market .56 1 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Chapter 1 will provide specific reasons for selecting the research topic and simultaneously outline the overall objectives and specific goals of the study. Additionally, this chapter will present relevant research questions, clearly define the scope and the research subject. Furthermore, the scientific and practical significance of the topic will be elucidated to clarify why the research project is important and valuable.
Finally, the chapter will introduce the overall structure of the thesis, helping readers understand how the various sections of the research are organized and arranged. Urgency and rationale for the choice of topic Over the past decade, the role of investment funds in the financial market has significantly increased. This notable surge is evident in the growth of assets held by investment funds globally, rising from $23.8 trillion at the end of 2011 to $63.39 trillion in the end of Q3. market, fund management companies play a crucial role and own more than a quarter of the equity market.
Investment funds are highly valued for their diversity, professional management, liquidity, flexibility, and convenience they bring. Additionally, investment funds are crucial for the development of the stock market and the economy, as they are managed and held by institutional investors who own a significant portion of capital in the market. However, research on investment funds still faces numerous challenges. While most theoretical models used to evaluate the performance of investment funds rely on assumptions of Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) and explain the relationship between risk and expected returns, as well as the famous Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH), which posits that stock prices fully reflect all available information, these assumptions are hardly met in reality.
Particularly, research in this field often focuses on developed markets and neglects investment funds in emerging markets. The profitability of investment funds in emerging markets faces difficulties such as high 2 volatility, high transaction costs, and infrequent trading (Bekaert and Harvey, 2002). Moreover, there are still doubts about whether factors identified to influence in developed markets also apply to emerging markets (e., Claessens et al., 1995; Fama and French, 1998). This lack of understanding hinders the development of the fund industry in emerging markets.
The growth of investment funds in emerging markets has had a significant impact on the development of the stock market and holds crucial importance for financial policies. However, this growth can also lead to irrational behavior and make the market more volatile. Emerging markets possess distinctive characteristics, such as high instability, incomplete financial systems, unclear regulations and legal procedures, and a lack of transparency and honesty. This creates an uncertain investment environment and may increase the risk for investment funds.
Another challenge in researching investment funds in emerging markets is the collection of information and data. Often, information and data about funds in these markets are not publicly disclosed or are incomplete, with inconsistent disclosure methods. This poses difficulties in evaluating the performance and risks of investment funds. Additionally, audit and oversight processes may not meet the standards equivalent to those in developed markets, resulting in a lack of transparency and reliability in fund management and reporting.
To address these challenges, more effort is needed in researching and gaining a better understanding of investment funds in emerging markets. Strengthening international cooperation and information exchange will help improve data collection and the assessment of fund performance. Furthermore, efforts from fund management organizations and governments are required to enhance transparency standards and audit processes in the industry. For investors, thorough research and understanding of investment funds in emerging markets are crucial.
Careful consideration of liquidity, risk management, performance history, and investment strategies of funds is necessary before making 3 investment decisions. Diversifying investment portfolios is also an effective method to minimize risks when investing in emerging markets. In summary, research on investment funds in emerging markets is an important and challenging field.