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Top Executives on Social Media and Information in the Capital Market: Evidence from China

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  • Feng, Xunan

    (Southwestern University of Finance and Economics)

  • Johansson, Anders C.

    (Stockholm China Economic Research Institute)

Abstract

Social media platforms are becoming increasingly important channels for information dissemination. This study examines how microblogging by top executives affects the information environment for listed firms in an emerging market. Using manually collected set from Sina Weibo, one of China’s most popular and largest social media platforms, we find that a board chair having a Weibo account is associated with the dissemination of more firm-specific information to the capital market. This result holds up to a battery of robustness tests. We also show that the relationship between board chairs’ Weibo usage and information dissemination is stronger for smaller firms, firms that went public more recently, and firms characterized by less analyst coverage. Findings in this study have important implications for the understanding of the role of social media in the dissemination process of corporate information.

Suggested Citation

  • Feng, Xunan & Johansson, Anders C., 2017. "Top Executives on Social Media and Information in the Capital Market: Evidence from China," Stockholm School of Economics Asia Working Paper Series 2017-47, Stockholm School of Economics, Stockholm China Economic Research Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:hascer:2017-047
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    6. Femg, Xunan & Johansson, Anders C., 2019. "News or Noise? The Information Content of Social Media in China," Stockholm School of Economics Asia Working Paper Series 2019-52, Stockholm School of Economics, Stockholm China Economic Research Institute.
    7. Hao, Jing, 2023. "Retail investor attention and corporate innovation in the big data era," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    8. Johansson, Anders C. & Zhu, Zhen, 2021. "Reputational Assets and Social Media Marketing Activeness: Empirical Insights from China," Stockholm School of Economics Asia Working Paper Series 2021-53, Stockholm School of Economics, Stockholm China Economic Research Institute.
    9. Lof, Matthijs & van Bommel, Jos, 2023. "Asymmetric information and the distribution of trading volume," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    10. Suwan (Cheng) Long & Brian Lucey & Ying Xie & Larisa Yarovaya, 2023. "“I just like the stock”: The role of Reddit sentiment in the GameStop share rally," The Financial Review, Eastern Finance Association, vol. 58(1), pages 19-37, February.
    11. Jing, Wei & Zhang, Xueyong, 2021. "Online social networks and corporate investment similarity," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    12. Le Lin & Ke Liao & Deren Xie, 2023. "When Investors Speak, Do Firms Listen? The Role of Investors' Dividend‐related Complaints from Online Earnings Communication Conferences," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 59(1), pages 32-75, March.
    13. Julian U. N. Vogel & Feixue Xie, 2023. "Do(n’t) believe everything you hear about disclosure: Twitter and the voluntary disclosure effect," Financial Markets and Portfolio Management, Springer;Swiss Society for Financial Market Research, vol. 37(2), pages 161-189, June.
    14. Sun, Kunpeng & Wang, Dan & Xiao, Xing, 2022. "Another victory of retail investors: Social media's monitoring role on firms' earnings management," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    15. Li, Chao & Li, Han & Zhao, Zhao, 2022. "Geographic proximity and M&As: Evidence from China," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 51(PB).
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Social Media; Information dissemination; Capital market; Investors; China;
    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
    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting
    • N20 - Economic History - - Financial Markets and Institutions - - - General, International, or Comparative

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