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Ambiguity Aversion and Underdiversification

Author

Listed:
  • Guidolin, Massimo
  • Liu, Hening

Abstract

We examine asset allocation decisions under smooth ambiguity aversion when an investor has a prior degree of belief in the domestic capital asset pricing model (CAPM). Different from a Bayesian approach, the investor separately relies on the conditional distribution of returns and on the posterior over parameters to make decisions, rather than on the predictive distribution of returns that integrates priors and likelihood information. We find that in the perspective of U.S. investors, ambiguity aversion generates strong home bias in equity holdings, regardless of beliefs in the CAPM or risk aversion. Results become stronger under regime-switching investment opportunities.

Suggested Citation

  • Guidolin, Massimo & Liu, Hening, 2016. "Ambiguity Aversion and Underdiversification," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 51(4), pages 1297-1323, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jfinqa:v:51:y:2016:i:04:p:1297-1323_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Loïc Berger & Louis Eeckhoudt, 2020. "Risk, Ambiguity, And The Value Of Diversification," Working Papers hal-02910906, HAL.
    2. Oghenovo A. Obrimah, 2025. "Is the Fama and French three factor model robust to the pricing of risk preferences?," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 69(4), pages 2027-2063, October.
    3. Liu, Xuan & Liu, Haiyong & Cai, Zongwu, 2024. "Time-varying relative risk aversion: Theoretical mechanism and empirical evidence," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    4. Meglena Jeleva & Jean-Marc Tallon, 2016. "Ambiguïté, comportements et marchés financiers," L'Actualité Economique, Société Canadienne de Science Economique, vol. 92(1-2), pages 351-383.
    5. Guillemin, François, 2020. "Governance by depositors, bank runs and ambiguity aversion," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    6. Lin, Qian & Sun, Xianming & Zhou, Chao, 2020. "Horizon-unbiased investment with ambiguity," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    7. Junyong Lee & Kyounghun Lee & Frederick Dongchuhl Oh, 2023. "Religion and Equity Home Bias," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 34(5), pages 1015-1038, November.
    8. Loïc Berger & Louis Eeckhoudt, 2021. "Risk, ambiguity, and the value of diversification," Post-Print hal-02910906, HAL.
    9. Huyên Pham & Xiaoli Wei & Chao Zhou, 2022. "Portfolio diversification and model uncertainty: A robust dynamic mean‐variance approach," Mathematical Finance, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 349-404, January.
    10. Rocciolo, Francesco & Gheno, Andrea & Brooks, Chris, 2022. "Explaining abnormal returns in stock markets: An alpha-neutral version of the CAPM," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    11. Loïc Berger & Louis Eeckhoudt, 2021. "Risk, Ambiguity, and the Value of Diversification," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(3), pages 1639-1647, March.
    12. Luo, Deqing & Shan, Xun & Yan, Jingzhou & Yan, Qianhui, 2023. "Sustainable investment under ESG volatility and ambiguity," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    13. Lin, Qian & Luo, Yulei & Sun, Xianming, 2022. "Robust investment strategies with two risky assets," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    14. Goodell, John W., 2019. "Comparing normative institutionalism with intended rationality in cultural-finance research," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 124-134.
    15. Huyên Pham & Xiaoli Wei & Chao Zhou, 2021. "Portfolio diversification and model uncertainty: a robust dynamic mean-variance approach," Working Papers hal-01867133, HAL.
    16. Huyen Pham & Xiaoli Wei & Chao Zhou, 2018. "Portfolio diversification and model uncertainty: a robust dynamic mean-variance approach," Papers 1809.01464, arXiv.org, revised Dec 2021.
    17. Qiu, Jianying & Van De Kuilen, Gijs & Weitzel, Utz & Xu, Yilong, 2025. "Irrational beliefs may drive the disposition effect : Evidence from financial professionals," Other publications TiSEM e7416d2e-effb-4656-bbb8-9, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    18. Eduard Gaar & David Scherer & Dirk Schiereck, 2022. "The home bias and the local bias: A survey," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 72(1), pages 21-57, February.
    19. Rossella Agliardi, 2018. "Value-at-risk under ambiguity aversion," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 4(1), pages 1-13, December.
    20. A. Ronald Gallant & Mohammad Jahan-Parvar & Hening Liu, 2015. "Measuring Ambiguity Aversion," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2015-105, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    21. Giulia Piccillo & Poramapa Poonpakdee, 2023. "Ambiguous Business Cycles, Recessions and Uncertainty: A Quantitative Analysis," CESifo Working Paper Series 10646, CESifo.
    22. Qian Lin & Xianming Sun & Chao Zhou, 2019. "Horizon-unbiased Investment with Ambiguity," Papers 1904.09379, arXiv.org.
    23. Zhou, Zhongbao & Gao, Meng & Xiao, Helu & Wang, Rui & Liu, Wenbin, 2021. "Big data and portfolio optimization: A novel approach integrating DEA with multiple data sources," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    24. Lee, Junyong & Lee, Kyounghun & Oh, Frederick Dongchuhl, 2023. "International portfolio diversification and the home bias puzzle," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C61 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Optimization Techniques; Programming Models; Dynamic Analysis
    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions

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