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Individuals’ financial risk-taking and peer influence

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  • Hellström, Jörgen
  • Stålnacke, Oscar
  • Olsson, Rickard

Abstract

Individual investor’s risky asset share, as well as stock market participants’ choice of total- and systematic stock portfolio risk, are found to be affected by financial risk-taking among peers. Furthermore, the results indicate that the influence of peers is stronger for less wealthy, for those with relatively higher disposable incomes, and for male investors, respectively. The results, obtained using an instrumental variable approach based on analysis of detailed individual level data, are robust towards a number of competing explanations and stress that interaction with peers’ is an important channel through which individuals’ overall financial risk-taking is affected.

Suggested Citation

  • Hellström, Jörgen & Stålnacke, Oscar & Olsson, Rickard, 2022. "Individuals’ financial risk-taking and peer influence," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 1-17.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:quaeco:v:86:y:2022:i:c:p:1-17
    DOI: 10.1016/j.qref.2022.05.001
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Individual investors; Social interaction; Portfolio choice; Stock market;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G02 - Financial Economics - - General - - - Behavioral Finance: Underlying Principles
    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles
    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness

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