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Seasonalities in China's Stock Markets: Cultural or Structural?

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  • Mr. Jason D. Mitchell
  • Ms. Li L Ong

Abstract

In this paper, we examine returns in the Chinese A and B stock markets for evidence of calendar anomalies. We find that both cultural and structural (segmentation) factors play an important role in influencing the pricing of both A- and B-shares in China. There is some evidence of a February turn-of-the-year effect, partly owing to the timing of the Chinese Lunar New Year (CNY); and the holiday effect around the CNY period is stronger and more persistent compared with the other public holidays. The segmentation between the two markets is apparent in the day-of-the-week effect, where B stock markets tend to post significant negative returns on Tuesdays, corresponding with overnight developments in the United States, while significant negative returns are observed on Mondays in the A stock markets. Investment strategies based on some of these calendar anomalies, and allowing for transaction costs, suggest that the A stock markets tend to offer more economically significant returns.

Suggested Citation

  • Mr. Jason D. Mitchell & Ms. Li L Ong, 2006. "Seasonalities in China's Stock Markets: Cultural or Structural?," IMF Working Papers 2006/004, International Monetary Fund.
  • Handle: RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2006/004
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    Cited by:

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    2. Bohl, Martin T. & Schuppli, Michael & Siklos, Pierre L., 2010. "Stock return seasonalities and investor structure: Evidence from China's B-share markets," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 190-201, March.
    3. Truong, Cameron, 2011. "Post-earnings announcement abnormal return in the Chinese equity market," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 21(5), pages 637-661.
    4. Bohl, Martin T. & Schuppli, Michael & Siklos, Pierre L., 2010. "Stock return seasonalities and investor structure: Evidence from China's B-share markets," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 190-201, March.
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    6. Paul McGuinness & Richard Harris, 2011. "Comparison of the 'turn-of-the-month' and lunar new year return effects in three Chinese markets: Hong Kong, Shanghai and Shenzhen," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(13), pages 917-929.
    7. Casalin, Fabrizio, 2018. "Determinants of holiday effects in mainland Chinese and Hong-Kong markets," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 45-67.

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