Macroeconomic variables and their impact on the Swedish stock market

Abstract: The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of a few selected macroeconomic variables on the Swedish stock market index OMXS30. The study uses time series monthly data during the period 2000-2019. To investigate these relationships, the time series are transformed into stationary processes. Then, we construct a Vector autoregressive model (VAR) and conduct Granger causality tests. The results indicated a negative relationship between inflation and the return on stocks, interest rate and the return on stocks, as well as positive relationship between money supply and the return on stocks. The VAR-model and the Granger causality test failed to show any statistically significant relationship between exchange rate and stock prices. The same Granger Causality tests suggests a bidirectional relationship between interest rate and the return of OMXS30, as well as unidirectional relationship between inflation and the stock prices, where inflation Granger causes the return of OMXS30.