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The exclamation mark of Cain: Risk salience and mutual fund flows

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  • Mugerman, Yevgeny
  • Steinberg, Nadav
  • Wiener, Zvi

Abstract

We study a regulation that increased mutual funds’ risk salience through name change. Using daily fund flow data and several identification strategies, we find that requiring certain fixed income mutual funds to affix an exclamation mark ("!") to their names caused a statistically and economically significant decline in their net flows, with a larger effect on fund inflows than outflows. The exclamation mark's impact stems from retail investors, both those that seek financial advice and those that invest independently. Mutual funds “defamed” by the exclamation mark designation actually increased their exposure to the particular risk highlighted by the regulator.

Suggested Citation

  • Mugerman, Yevgeny & Steinberg, Nadav & Wiener, Zvi, 2022. "The exclamation mark of Cain: Risk salience and mutual fund flows," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbfina:v:134:y:2022:i:c:s0378426621002831
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbankfin.2021.106332
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    5. Abudy, Menachem Meni, 2020. "Retail investors’ trading and stock market liquidity," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    6. Becker, Martin G. & Martin, Fabio & Walter, Andreas, 2022. "The power of ESG transparency: The effect of the new SFDR sustainability labels on mutual funds and individual investors," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 47(PB).
    7. de Bruin, Boudewijn & Cherednychenko, Olha & Hermes, Niels & Kramer, Marc & Meyer, Marco, 2024. "Demand for financial advice: Evidence from a randomized choice experiment," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    8. Chuanrong Huang & Xiyue Zhu, 2024. "The Impact of Global Value Chain Reconstruction on the Innovative Latitude High-Quality Development of Reverse OFDI in China—From the Perspective of Jiangsu Province," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-25, August.
    9. Xiaomin Lyu & Qiongwen Zhang, 2024. "Navigating Environmental Tax Challenges: Business Strategies for Chinese Firms Sustainable Growth," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-21, August.
    10. Noam Ben-Ze'ev, 2023. "Drivers of Flows-Performance Sensitivity in Mutual Funds," Bank of Israel Working Papers 2023.06, Bank of Israel.
    11. Gavious, Ilanit & Jacoby, Tomer & Milo, Orit, 2023. "Economic consequences of building a cross-country barrier among alternative policies to deal with unauthorized immigration," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
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    13. Meni Abudy, Menachem & Mugerman, Yevgeny & Shust, Efrat, 2023. "National pride, investor sentiment, and stock markets," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Mutual funds; Regulation; Investor attention; Investor protection;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G18 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • G23 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Non-bank Financial Institutions; Financial Instruments; Institutional Investors
    • G41 - Financial Economics - - Behavioral Finance - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making in Financial Markets

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