Type of Publication: Article in Journal

The Trading Volume Impact of Local Bias: Evidence from a Natural Experiment

Author(s):

Jacobs, Heiko; Weber, Martin

Title of Journal:

Review of Finance

Volume (Publication Date):

2012 (2012)

Number of Issue:

16

pages:

867-901

Keywords:

Local bias, trading activity, investor recognition, investor distraction, holiday effect, natural experiment

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

doi:10.1093/rof/rfr022

Link to complete version:

https://academic.oup.com/rof/article/16/4/867/1569932

Citation:

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Abstract

Abstract

Exploiting several regional holidays in Germany as a source of exogenous cross-sectional variation in investor attention, we provide evidence that the well-known local bias at the individual level materially affects stock turnover at the firm level. The German setting offers favorable characteristics for this natural experiment. Stocks of firms located in holiday regions are temporarily strikingly less traded, both in statistical and economic terms, than otherwise very similar stocks in non-holiday regions. This negative turnover shock is robust and survives various tests for cross-sectional differences in information release. It is particularly pronounced in stocks less visible to non-local investors, and for smaller stocks disproportionately driven by retail investors. Our findings contribute to research on local bias, determinants of trading activity and limited attention.