Stock Market Volatility and Mutual Fund Returns: A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Trends (2000–2022)

Abstract

This study examines the research landscape on the relationship between stock market volatility and mutual fund returns through a bibliometric approach. A total of 174 publications indexed in the Scopus database from 2000 to 2022 were analyzed using the Bibliometrix package and its Biblioshiny interface. The study identifies key contributors, influential journals, leading countries, and dominant research themes through descriptive and network analysis techniques. The findings reveal that scholarly interest in this domain remained limited in the early years but experienced significant growth after 2010, indicating increasing academic and practical relevance. The analysis further highlights the intellectual structure and evolving thematic areas within the field, emphasizing emerging research directions and gaps. While the study is limited to the Scopus database, it provides a structured overview of the domain and offers a foundation for future empirical and theoretical investigations. The results are useful for researchers and practitioners by identifying key areas of focus, collaboration opportunities, and evolving trends in mutual fund performance and market volatility research. This study contributes by consolidating dispersed literature and presenting a comprehensive overview of the development and direction of research in this field.