Market and Style Timing: German Equity and Bond Funds

We apply parametric and non-parametric estimates to test market and style timing ability of individual German equity and bond mutual funds using a sample of over 500 equity and 350 bond funds, over the period 1990-2009. For equity funds, both approaches indicate no successful market timers in the 1990-1999 or 2000-2009 periods, but in 2000-2009 the non-parametric approach gives fewer unsuccessful market timers than the parametric approach. There is evidence of successful style timing using the parametric approach, and unsuccessful style timing, particularly in the 2000-2009 period. There is evidence of positive and negative bond timing in the 2000-2009 period.