Directional spillovers from the US and the Saudi market to equities in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries

The paper investigates returns and returns volatility spillovers from the U.S. and the Saudi market to equity markets in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. A clear jump in net transmissions from both markets was spotted during the financial crisis in 2008. This new pattern of information transmission reflects an increase in association with the U.S. and the Saudi market. Therefore, we may conclude that the strong inter and intra diversification potential that once existed in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries has been severely impaired in recent years. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.