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Haze, investor attention and China's stock markets: Evidence from internet stock forum

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  • Zhang, Yihao
  • Tao, Lingfeng

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of haze on China's stock markets and the intermediary role of investor attention. We propose that haze attracts investor attention through direct physical and psychological experiences of haze, haze-related news and government regulations, and thereby affects stock markets through investor attention. Using novel data collected from a leading Internet stock forum in China, our empirical analysis reveals that: (1) the aggravation of haze, increase in the amount of haze-related news, and reinforcement of regulations lead investors to pay more attention to haze-related issues; (2) the increased investor attention on haze decreases stock market returns.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhang, Yihao & Tao, Lingfeng, 2019. "Haze, investor attention and China's stock markets: Evidence from internet stock forum," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 31(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:31:y:2019:i:c:s1544612318302149
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2018.12.001
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    Cited by:

    1. Goodell, John W. & Kumar, Satish & Li, Xiao & Pattnaik, Debidutta & Sharma, Anuj, 2022. "Foundations and research clusters in investor attention: Evidence from bibliometric and topic modelling analysis," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 511-529.
    2. Wenwen Liu & Jinyu Yang & Jingrui Chen & Lei Xu, 2023. "How Social-Network Attention and Sentiment of Investors Affect Commodity Futures Market Returns: New Evidence From China," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(1), pages 21582440231, January.
    3. He, Feng & Yan, Yulin & Hao, Jing & Wu, Ji (George), 2022. "Retail investor attention and corporate green innovation: Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    4. Wang, Gaoshan & Yu, Guangjin & Shen, Xiaohong, 2021. "The effect of online environmental news on green industry stocks: The mediating role of investor sentiment," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 573(C).
    5. Deng, Chao & Zhou, Xiaoying & Peng, Cheng & Zhu, Huiming, 2022. "Going green: Insight from asymmetric risk spillover between investor attention and pro-environmental investment," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 47(PA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Investor attention; Haze; China's stock market; Internet stock forum; G12; G14; Q53;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling

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