This is why I have decided to stop helping you: A theoretical model of help-giving discontinuity in organizations

Drawing upon conservation of resources (COR) and attribution theories, we develop a help-giving discontinuity model. From the COR perspective, we theorize that when help-giving is perceived to be obligation, prevention-focused self-regulation is triggered, which induces help-giving discontinuity to prevent further loss of resources. Additionally, when a low likelihood of receiving reciprocated help is perceived, prevention-focused self-regulation is activated, which induces help-giving discontinuity due to insufficient replenishment of resources. From the attribution perspective, we propose that a co-worker's lack of effort and recurrence of the same task-related issue promote dispositional attributions, which result in help-giving discontinuity. Our model, therefore, provides an important theoretical base for future research investigating why some employees continuously help others while others do not.     

Intraday time-series momentum: Evidence from China

This study conducts an investigation of intraday time-series momentum across four Chinese commodity futures contracts: copper, steel, soybean, and soybean meal. Our results indicate that the first half-hour return positively predicts the last half-hour return across all four futures. Furthermore, in metals markets, we find that first trading sessions with high volume or volatility are associated with the strongest intraday time-series momentum dynamics. Based on this, we propose an intraday momentum informed trading strategy that earns a return in excess of standard always long and buy-and-hold benchmarks.     

The Effects of Stock Characteristics on the Direction and Extent of Herding by Foreign Institutional Investors in the Taiwan Stock Exchange

We use a dynamic herding measure to explore the causes of foreign institutional investor (FII) herding in the Taiwan stock market and examine the effects of stock characteristics on the direction and extent of such herding. We find that FII herding primarily results from cascades rather than habit investing or momentum trading. The result of a panel smooth transition regression shows that FIIs' negative cascades focus on their largest net purchases of stocks, but FIIs' positive cascades focus on winner and small-sized stocks. To increase portfolio returns, investors can use FIIs' cascades to inform their stock purchases.     

Credit ratings and long-term IPO performance

We examine the impact of credit ratings on long-term IPO pricing. Our findings suggest that the provision of credit ratings prior to IPO reduces information asymmetry and improves market efficiency. The increase in disclosure through credit ratings can reduce information risk and price discounts. IPOs with (without) credit ratings are less (more) underpriced and more positively (negatively) perceived by outside investors. The market reactions for rated IPOs are more immediate and more complete (as the result of improved transparency), while long-term performance is insignificant when information asymmetry is reduced.     

Expiration day effects: The case of Hong Kong

Regulators around the world often express concerns about the high volatility of stock markets due to index derivative expirations. Earlier studies of expiration day effects have found large volume effects, abnormal return volatility, and price effects during the last hour of trading on expiration days when the settlement is based on the closing price. This article examines the impact of the expiration of Hang Seng Index (HSI) derivatives on the underlying cash market in Hong Kong for the period from 1990 to 1999. The HSI derivative market is different from most other markets in the sense that the settlement price is computed by taking the average of 5‐minute quotations of the HSI on the last trading day, thus providing an alternative setting for testing expiration day effects. Our empirical findings indicate that expiration days in Hong Kong may be associated with a negative price effect and some return volatility on the underlying stock market, but there is no evidence of abnormal trading volume on the expiration day, or price reversal after expiration. Thus, the existence of expiration day effects cannot be confirmed in the Hong Kong market. [JEL classification: G13; G14; G15]. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 23:67–86, 2003     

Testing for cointegration with threshold effect between stock prices and exchange rates in Japan and Taiwan

This paper empirically investigates the exchange rate effects of the New Taiwan dollar against the Japanese Yen (NTD/JPY) on stock prices in Japan and Taiwan from January 1991 to Mach 2008. Our study employs the newly threshold error-correction model (TECM) elaborated by Enders and Granger [Enders, W., Granger, C.W.F., 1998. Unit-root tests and asymmetric adjustment with an example using the term structure of interest rates. Journal of Business Economics & Statistics 16, 304–311] and Enders and Siklos [Enders, W., Siklos, P.L., 2001. Cointegration and threshold adjustment. Journal of Business Economics & Statistics 19, 166–176], assuming the nature of the relationship between the variables is on the basis of non-linearity. The empirical evidence suggests that there is a long-run equilibrium relationship between NTD/JPY and the stock prices of Japan and Taiwan during the time period investigated. However, an asymmetric threshold cointegration relationship only exists in Taiwan’s financial market. Furthermore, we extend our research by taking into account the effect of the U.S. exchange rate specifically on Taiwan’s financial market. This research also finds a long-term equilibrium and asymmetric causal relationships between NTD/USD and the stock prices of Taiwan. In addition, the results of TECM Granger-Causality tests show that no short-run causal relationship exists between the two financial assets considered for both countries’ cases. However, in the long run a positive causal relationship running from either the Japan or U.S. exchange rate to the stock prices of Taiwan strongly argues for the traditional approach.     

Analytic approximation formulae for pricing forward‐starting Asian options

In this article we first identify a missing term in the Bouaziz, Briys, and Crouhy ( 1994 ) pricing formula for forward‐starting Asian options and derive the correct one. First, illustrate in certain cases that the missing term in their pricing formula could induce large pricing errors or unreasonable option prices. Second, we derive new analytic approximation formulae for valuing forward‐starting Asian options by adding the second‐order term in the Taylor series. We show that our formulae can accurately value forward‐starting Asian options with a large underlying asset's volatility or a longer time window for the average of the underlying asset prices, whereas the pricing errors for these options with the previously mentioned formula could be large. Third, we derive the hedge ratios for these options and compare their properties with those of plain vanilla options. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 23:487–516, 2003     

Expiration‐day effects—An Asian twist

This study examines the intraday trading activities of index stocks on the common expiration day of index derivatives. In Hong Kong, index futures and index options use an Asian‐style settlement procedure. All contracts are settled against the estimated average settlement price, an arithmetic average of the underlying cash index taken every five minutes on the expiration day. Trading volume and total trade count on the expiration day are both found to be higher than normal. Most important, trading intensifies in terms of volume and frequency close to the five‐minute time marks. The study does not find significant price reversal and price compression patterns. Although significant order imbalance pattern is found on some expiration days, the results show no association between order imbalance pattern and the next‐day return. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 28:430–450, 2009     

IS THERE NEWS IN THE CLUB?

In September 1994, the Wall Street Journal started the Annual Report and Earning Service. Firms participating in this service volunteer to provide on request, to any reader, their annual report and current quarterly information. The daily price quotations of such firms appear with a small symbol like the club in playing cards. We examine the utility of voluntarily disclosing this second‐hand information to the public and seek to find the motivation for this disclosure. Our results show that most of the firms that joined this service had below‐industry‐average performance, or at least were headed in that direction. Membership in the Annual Report and Earning Service brought some short‐term benefits in the form of average excess returns, but the economic fundamentals reasserted, and most firms had significant below‐average returns at the end of our sample period. JEL classification: G10, G14.