The Shift from Active to Passive Investing: Potential Risks to Financial Stability?

Kenechukwu Anadu (), Mathias S. Kruttli, Patrick E. McCabe, Emilio Osambela and Chaehee Shin
Additional contact information
Patrick E. McCabe: https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/patrick-e-mccabe.htm
Emilio Osambela: https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/emilio-osambela.htm
Chaehee Shin: https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/chaehee-shin.htm

No RPA 18-4, Supervisory Research and Analysis Working Papers from Federal Reserve Bank of Boston

Abstract: The past couple of decades have seen a significant shift in assets from active to passive investment strategies. We examine the potential effects of this shift on financial stability through four different channels: (1) effects on investment funds? liquidity transformation and redemption risks; (2) passive strategies that amplify market volatility; (3) increases in asset-management industry concentration; and (4) the effects on valuations, volatility, and comovement of assets that are included in indexes. Overall, the shift from active to passive investment strategies appears to be increasing some types of risk while diminishing others: The shift has probably reduced liquidity transformation risks, although some passive strategies amplify market volatility, and passive-fund growth is increasing asset-management industry concentration. We find mixed evidence that passive investing is contributing to the comovement of assets. Finally, we use our framework to assess how financial stability risks are likely to evolve if the shift to passive investing continues, noting that some of the repercussions of passive investing ultimately may slow its growth.

Keywords: asset management; passive investing; index investing; indexing; mutual funds; exchange-traded funds; leveraged and inverse exchange-traded products; financial stability; systemic risk; market volatility; inclusion effects; daily rebalancing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: G10 G11 G20 G23 G32 L1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 30 pages
Date: 2018-08-27
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cfn
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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Related works:
Working Paper: The Shift from Active to Passive Investing: Potential Risks to Financial Stability? (2020)
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