Long-range power-law correlations in stock returns

This study investigates long-range power-law correlations in US, UK, Japanese, German, French and Spanish stock markets using daily data and applying a recently developed residual analysis termed detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA). We quantify correlations for the returns, absolute value of returns and square of returns. The results show that there is little evidence of long-range correlations in returns but there is strong evidence of long-range correlation in absolute and squared returns. For the absolute returns, a cross-over of approximately 41 days is found. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science BN. All rights reserved.