Stock Options as Lotteries

We investigate the relationship between ex ante total skewness and holding returns on individual equity options. Recent theoretical developments predict a negative relationship between total skewness and average returns, in contrast to the traditional view that only coskewness is priced. We find, consistent with recent theory, that total skewness exhibits a strong negative relationship with average option returns. Differences in average returns for option portfolios sorted on ex ante skewness range from 10% to 50% per week, even after controlling for risk. Our findings suggest that these large premiums compensate intermediaries for bearing unhedgeable risk when accommodating investor demand for lottery‐like options.     

Predictors of voluntary simplicity in consumer behaviour

The contribution of income adequacy, conservation-related attitudes and human resources to voluntary simplicity behaviour was studied using responses from 638 households. Findings suggested that, while both income and attitudes were significant contributors to the variance in behaviour, attitudes were somewhat more so. However, the perception that the respondent or another family member had needed skills to perform various repair and maintenance tasks was the strongest predictor of voluntary simplicity behaviour.     

U.S. OIL DEMAND AND CONSERVATION

Recent history has lent casual support to three popular theories about U.S. oil demand: (i) U.S. oil consumption is very insensitive to changing oil prices, (ii) non-price conservation has reduced U.S. oil demand, and (Hi) U.S. oil consumption falls more when oil prices rise than it rises when oil prices fall. Together, these theories suggest that one could hold oil consumption constant without much economic sacrifice. The authors' econometric evidence does not support these theories. This evidence indicates that U.S. oil consumption is fairly responsive to price changes over the long run, but with a considerable lag. Sharp oil price increases—or an equivalent policy action—would be needed to hold oil consumption constant during the 1990s.     

Assets and Debts in a Consumer Portfolio

Data from the 1977–78 Survey of Consumer Credit provide the opportunity to estimate demand functions for owned housing, home mortgages, car stocks, car debts, and other debts in the context of a portfolio model with both own- and cross-partial adjustments. Consequently, information is gained as to how households adjust their demands for owned housing, mortgage, car stocks, car loans, and other debts in response to disequilibria in their asset and debt portfolio. Married with spouse present, female headed, and black families are studied separately. Income, life-cycle, and family size effects are estimated as well as the speeds of adjustment to various disequilibria.     

The Price of a Warranty: The Case for Refrigerators

Hedonic price analysis was used to estimate the implicit market prices of the physical attributes and warranty provisions of refrigerators. Estimates were made of the implicit market prices of 2 warranty provisions, 6 physical characteristics and 13 brands using 1975 data on 156 models. The estimates were made of the implicit market prices of an additional 4 years and 9 years warranty coverage beyond the typical 1 year coverage. The results suggest that the implicit price of such additional warranty coverage exceeds (a) the cost of a service contract for a similar period, and (b) estimates of the present value of the expected cost of repairs.     

Public Information Arrival

We develop a measure of public information flow to financial markets and use it to document the patterns of information arrival, with an emphasis on the intraday flows. The measure is the number of news releases by Reuter's News Service per unit of time. We find that public information arrival is nonconstant, displaying seasonalities and distinct intraday patterns. Next we relate our measure of public information to aggregate measures of intraday market activity. Our results suggest a positive, moderate relationship between public information and trading volume, but an insignificant relationship with price volatility.