Number of Shareholders and Stock Prices: Evidence from Japan

Merton (1987) proposes that an increase in a firm's investor base increases the firm's value. In Japan, companies can reduce their stock's minimum trading unit—the number of shares in a round lot—which facilitates trading in the stock by small investors. We find that a reduction in the minimum trading unit greatly increases a firm's base of individual investors and its stock liquidity, and is associated with a significant increase in the stock price. Further, the stock price appreciation is positively related to an increase in the number of shareholders.     

Option Volume and Stock Prices: Evidence on Where Informed Traders Trade

This paper investigates the informational role of transactions volume in options markets. We develop an asymmetric information model in which informed traders may trade in option or equity markets. We show conditions under which informed traders trade options, and we investigate the implications of this for the linkage between markets. Our model predicts an important informational role for the volume of particular types of option trades. We empirically test our model's hypotheses with intraday option data. Our main empirical result is that negative and positive option volumes contain information about future stock prices.     

The Effect of Demand on Stock Prices: Evidence from Index Fund Rebalancing

I examine the effect of demand on stock prices by analyzing the conversion of the TIPs 35 and TIPs 100 exchange‐traded funds into the i60 Fund. This conversion occurred at the Toronto Stock Exchange on March 6, 2000. Forty stocks of the TIPs 100 Fund that were not members of the new units of the i60 Fund were sold to complete this conversion. I find that a decrease in demand produced a permanent stock price decline, which was accompanied by significant abnormal trading volume. The results provide support for the downward‐sloping demand curve hypothesis.     

The Effects of Stock Lending on Security Prices: An Experiment

We examine the impact of short selling by conducting a randomized stock lending experiment. Working with a large, anonymous money manager, we create an exogenous and sizeable shock to the supply of lendable shares by taking high loan fee stocks in the manager's portfolio and randomly making available and withholding stocks from the lending market. The experiment ran in two independent phases: the first, from September 5 to 18, 2008, with over $580 million of securities lent, and the second, from June 5 to September 30, 2009, with over $250 million of securities lent. While the supply shocks significantly reduce market lending fees and raise quantities, we find no evidence that returns, volatility, skewness, or bid–ask spreads are affected. The results provide novel evidence on the impact of shorting supply and do not indicate any adverse effects on stock prices from securities lending.     

Stock Prices and Inflation: New Evidence from the Pacific-Basin Countries

This paper investigates the statistical relationship between stock prices and inflation in nine countries in the Pacific-Basin. On balance, regression analysis on the nine markets shows negative relationships between stock returns in real terms and inflation in the short run, while co-integration tests on the same markets display a positive relationship between the same variables over the long run. The time path of the response of stock prices plotted against corresponding changes in consumer price indices validates this dichotomy in time-related response patterns of stock prices to inflation; namely, a blip of negative responses at the beginning changes to a positive response over a longer period of time. Stock prices in Asia, like those in the U.S. and Europe, appear to reflect a time-varying memory associated with inflation shocks that make stock portfolios a reasonably good hedge against inflation in the long run.     

Do Stock Prices and Volatility Jump? Reconciling Evidence from Spot and Option Prices

This paper examines the empirical performance of jump diffusion models of stock price dynamics from joint options and stock markets data. The paper introduces a model with discontinuous correlated jumps in stock prices and stock price volatility, and with state-dependent arrival intensity. We discuss how to perform likelihood-based inference based upon joint options/returns data and present estimates of risk premiums for jump and volatility risks. The paper finds that while complex jump specifications add little explanatory power in fitting options data, these models fare better in fitting options and returns data simultaneously.     

会计可靠性原则的盈余相关性及市场定价——来自沪、深股市的经验证据

本文以中国证券市场2001至2004年期间的上市公司为对象,考察了公司会计可靠性原则的盈余相关性及其市场定价。我们首先考察基于收付实现制的现金收益和基于权责发生制的应计总额的相对盈余相关性,并考察市场定价是否对两者的计量可靠性差异做出反映。在此基础上,我们进一步着重考察具有较高可靠性的非融资性流动负债和较低可靠性的非融资性流动资产,考察其盈余相关性及市场定价。研究发现,基于收付实现制的现金收益具有更高的盈余相关性,但市场表现出存在利润“功能锁定”现象,并未对其做出反映。非融资性流动负债具有正的盈余相关性,非融资性流动资产具有负的盈余相关性。二者相比较,会计可靠性计量原则与盈余相关性具有显著正相关关系。从市场定价角度看,市场给予了非融资性流动负债正的定价、非融资性流动资产负的定价。即市场符合“幼稚投资者”假说,市场给予了会计可靠性原则正的定价,但其显著程度尚比较弱,在加入各种控制变量之后,其显著程度进一步弱化。     

The Determinants of Stock Prices: New Evidence from the Indian Banking Sector

We examine the determinants of stock prices for major Indian banks using panel data modeling techniques. Our work is novel because, for the first time in the literature on Indian banking, we use a panel Granger causality test that reveals the direction and sign of causality. We find evidence of panel cointegration among stock prices, economic activity, interest rates, and exchange rates for thirteen banks. Our results suggest that while economic activity and currency depreciation contribute to a rise in share prices, an increase in the interest rate reduces bank share prices. Moreover, only economic activity Granger-causes stock prices in the long run.     

Interest Rates and Stock Prices: Evidence from Central and Eastern European Markets

We provide empirical evidence regarding the responses of Central and Eastern European capital markets to monetary policy via domestic and international short-term interest rate shocks. The analysis is conducted using a four-variable structural vector error correction model identified by means of permanent-transitory restrictions. The results indicate a noticeable effect of the international interest rate on stock market indexes in the cases of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Romania. Since no monetary policy autonomy exists in Bulgaria, Latvia, and Lithuania, we find support only for the inverse relationship between foreign interest rate and stock index prices.     

Stock Market Volatility in an Emerging Market: Further Evidence from the Athens Stock Exchange

We investigate the time series properties of the daily and weekly returns from the Athens Stock Exchange (ASE) index for the years 1987 to 1997. We investigate whether important time-series characteristics have changed significantly over time. The Greek market has recently undergone major changes including complete capital flow liberalization, the implementation of computerized trading, as well as significant increases in market volume and capitalization; we thus contrast the 1987–90 and 1991–97 periods. Our findings suggest the dynamics of the ASE composite index returns have changed as the market has developed.     

The Effect of Commercial Paper Rating Changes and Credit-Watch Placement on Common Stock Prices

The common stock price response to the announcement by Standard and Poor of CreditWatch placement and commercial paper reratings is examined. Results indicate a negative stock price response to negative placements on the CreditWatch list and to commercial paper rating reductions. A cross-sectional model is estimated to identify firm characteristics associated with the stock market response.     

Further Evidence On Investor Overreaction and Stock Market Seasonality

In a previous paper, we found systematic price reversals for stocks that experience extreme long-term gains or losses: Past losers significantly outperform past winners. We interpreted this finding as consistent with the behavioral hypothesis of investor overreaction. In this follow-up paper, additional evidence is reported that supports the overreaction hypothesis and that is inconsistent with two alternative hypotheses based on firm size and differences in risk, as measured by CAPM-betas. The seasonal pattern of returns is also examined. Excess returns in January are related to both short-term and long-term past performance, as well as to the previous year market return.     

The Week-End Effect in Common Stock Returns: The International Evidence

This paper examines the daily stock market returns for four foreign countries. We find a so-called “week-end effect” in each country. In addition, the lowest mean returns for the Japanese and Australian stock markets occur on Tuesday. The remainder of the paper answers four questions. Are seasonal patterns in foreign stock markets independent of those previously reported in the U.S.? Do Japan and Australia exhibit a seasonal one day out of phase due to different time zones? Do settlement procedures across countries bias week-end effects? Does the seasonal pattern in foreign exchange offset the week-end effect in stocks for Americans investing overseas?     

The Impact of Value Line Special Situations Recommendations on Stock Prices: Evidence From the Over-the-Counter Market

The value to investors of the information provided by the Value Line Investment Service has been the subject of discussion for many years. This paper examines the information content of the recommendations made by the Value Line Special Situations Service to buy (sell) specific stock issues. The advice given by Value Line generates significant abnormal returns to shareholders near its release date. However, when the price response over longer periods is considered, the effect of the recommendations appears to be transitory. Further, there appears to be no difference in the overall price response between listed and over-the-counter securities.     

The Costs of Issuing Preferred Stock

U.S. firms commonly use preferred stocks to raise external capital. Yet this hybrid security's issuance costs and offer yields have not been previously examined in a systematic manner. We analyze a sample of 3,042 U.S. preferred stocks issued between 1980 and 1999. We find that convertible issues, which are riskier than straight issues, entail higher gross spreads and other direct expenses. Scale, credit rating, and industry effects influence gross spreads and issuance costs. We also compare preferred stocks yields with various bellwether bond yields. Our results support the tax‐based argument that suggests that yields on preferred stocks should be lower than comparable risky bonds.