Consumer Expenditure-Based Portfolio Optimization

This study examines whether portfolio optimization can be effectively based on annual changes in the harmonized index of consumer prices (HICP) data. Specifically, we assess whether asset allocation based on consumer expenditure can generate superior returns compared to static or equal-weighted asse...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Attila Bányai, Tibor Tatay, Gergő Thalmeiner, László Pataki
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:International Journal of Financial Studies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7072/13/2/99
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850167443548274688
author Attila Bányai
Tibor Tatay
Gergő Thalmeiner
László Pataki
author_facet Attila Bányai
Tibor Tatay
Gergő Thalmeiner
László Pataki
author_sort Attila Bányai
collection DOAJ
description This study examines whether portfolio optimization can be effectively based on annual changes in the harmonized index of consumer prices (HICP) data. Specifically, we assess whether asset allocation based on consumer expenditure can generate superior returns compared to static or equal-weighted asset allocation. To explore this, we use consumer expenditure data from HICP statistics categorized by COICOP. Our findings indicate that this strategy outperforms a buy-and-hold benchmark by 13.32% in terms of the Sharpe Ratio and exceeds an annual equal-weighted rebalancing strategy by 3.11%. Additionally, both the Calmar and Sterling Ratios demonstrate improved performance, further reinforcing the robustness of this approach. Furthermore, a hypothetical scenario where sector weights from the end of the given year—though not yet available during the year—are used suggests even greater improvements in performance. A high-sample bootstrap simulation confirms that the observed performance differences are not random but reflect the independent effectiveness of asset allocation based on consumer expenditure trends. This result strengthens the validity of our backtesting findings, indicating that the examined strategy could generate excess returns compared to passive portfolio managment and fixed-weight rebalancing approaches. The result of the study is therefore the development of an effective portfolio rebalancing strategy.
format Article
id doaj-art-6423b5bed8ca4b2f8d11546b6985de8c
institution OA Journals
issn 2227-7072
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series International Journal of Financial Studies
spelling doaj-art-6423b5bed8ca4b2f8d11546b6985de8c2025-08-20T02:21:12ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Financial Studies2227-70722025-06-011329910.3390/ijfs13020099Consumer Expenditure-Based Portfolio OptimizationAttila Bányai0Tibor Tatay1Gergő Thalmeiner2László Pataki3Doctoral School of Economic and Regional Sciences, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Páter Károly str. 1, H-2100 Gödöllő, HungaryDepartment of Statistics, Finances and Controlling, Széchenyi István University, Egyetem square 1, H-9026 Győr, HungaryDepartment of Investment, Finance and Accounting, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Páter Károly str. 1, H-2100 Gödöllő, HungaryDoctoral School of Management and Business Administration, John von Neumann University, Infopark sétány 1, H-1117 Budapest, HungaryThis study examines whether portfolio optimization can be effectively based on annual changes in the harmonized index of consumer prices (HICP) data. Specifically, we assess whether asset allocation based on consumer expenditure can generate superior returns compared to static or equal-weighted asset allocation. To explore this, we use consumer expenditure data from HICP statistics categorized by COICOP. Our findings indicate that this strategy outperforms a buy-and-hold benchmark by 13.32% in terms of the Sharpe Ratio and exceeds an annual equal-weighted rebalancing strategy by 3.11%. Additionally, both the Calmar and Sterling Ratios demonstrate improved performance, further reinforcing the robustness of this approach. Furthermore, a hypothetical scenario where sector weights from the end of the given year—though not yet available during the year—are used suggests even greater improvements in performance. A high-sample bootstrap simulation confirms that the observed performance differences are not random but reflect the independent effectiveness of asset allocation based on consumer expenditure trends. This result strengthens the validity of our backtesting findings, indicating that the examined strategy could generate excess returns compared to passive portfolio managment and fixed-weight rebalancing approaches. The result of the study is therefore the development of an effective portfolio rebalancing strategy.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7072/13/2/99consumer basketdiversificationportfolio optimizationharmonized index of consumer prices (HICP)Sharpe ratio
spellingShingle Attila Bányai
Tibor Tatay
Gergő Thalmeiner
László Pataki
Consumer Expenditure-Based Portfolio Optimization
International Journal of Financial Studies
consumer basket
diversification
portfolio optimization
harmonized index of consumer prices (HICP)
Sharpe ratio
title Consumer Expenditure-Based Portfolio Optimization
title_full Consumer Expenditure-Based Portfolio Optimization
title_fullStr Consumer Expenditure-Based Portfolio Optimization
title_full_unstemmed Consumer Expenditure-Based Portfolio Optimization
title_short Consumer Expenditure-Based Portfolio Optimization
title_sort consumer expenditure based portfolio optimization
topic consumer basket
diversification
portfolio optimization
harmonized index of consumer prices (HICP)
Sharpe ratio
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7072/13/2/99
work_keys_str_mv AT attilabanyai consumerexpenditurebasedportfoliooptimization
AT tibortatay consumerexpenditurebasedportfoliooptimization
AT gergothalmeiner consumerexpenditurebasedportfoliooptimization
AT laszlopataki consumerexpenditurebasedportfoliooptimization