IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/reveco/v88y2023icp1247-1271.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The effect of stock market liberalization on corporate cash savings sensitivity: Evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Chen, Yulin
  • Han, Haozhe
  • Shen, Xieyang
  • Zeng, Jianyu

Abstract

Using the launch of the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect program in China, this paper finds that stock market liberalization has a positive impact on firms’ cash savings sensitivity to stock price. The effect is robust and persistent. We propose two potential channels, promoting corporate governance and improving stock price informativeness. The relationship between the opening-up and savings-to-price sensitivity is more pronounced for firms with severer agency problems and less price informativeness. We also rule out the alternative financing channel. Our findings help to better understand how the financial market affects the real economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen, Yulin & Han, Haozhe & Shen, Xieyang & Zeng, Jianyu, 2023. "The effect of stock market liberalization on corporate cash savings sensitivity: Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 1247-1271.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:reveco:v:88:y:2023:i:c:p:1247-1271
    DOI: 10.1016/j.iref.2023.07.018
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1059056023002289
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.iref.2023.07.018?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Qi Chen & Xiao Chen & Katherine Schipper & Yongxin Xu & Jian Xue, 2012. "The Sensitivity of Corporate Cash Holdings to Corporate Governance," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 25(12), pages 3610-3644.
    2. Yang, Liuyong & Wang, Beibei & Luo, Deming, 2022. "Corporate social responsibility in market liberalization: Evidence from Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    3. Thierry Foucault & Laurent Frésard, 2012. "Cross-Listing, Investment Sensitivity to Stock Price, and the Learning Hypothesis," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 25(11), pages 3305-3350.
    4. Foucault, Thierry & Gehrig, Thomas, 2008. "Stock price informativeness, cross-listings, and investment decisions," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(1), pages 146-168, April.
    5. Qi Chen & Itay Goldstein & Wei Jiang, 2007. "Price Informativeness and Investment Sensitivity to Stock Price," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 20(3), pages 619-650.
    6. Christian Leuz & Karl V. Lins & Francis E. Warnock, 2010. "Do Foreigners Invest Less in Poorly Governed Firms?," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 23(3), pages 3245-3285, March.
    7. Chari, Anusha & Blair Henry, Peter, 2008. "Firm-specific information and the efficiency of investment," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(3), pages 636-655, March.
    8. Acharya, Viral V. & Almeida, Heitor & Campello, Murillo, 2007. "Is cash negative debt? A hedging perspective on corporate financial policies," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 16(4), pages 515-554, October.
    9. Jiang, Li & Kim, Jeong-Bon & Pang, Lei, 2011. "Control-ownership wedge and investment sensitivity to stock price," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 35(11), pages 2856-2867, November.
    10. Marcin Kacperczyk & Savitar Sundaresan & Tianyu Wang & Wei Jiang, 2021. "Do Foreign Institutional Investors Improve Price Efficiency? [Does governance travel around the world? Evidence from institutional investors]," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 34(3), pages 1317-1367.
    11. Frésard, Laurent & Salva, Carolina, 2010. "The value of excess cash and corporate governance: Evidence from US cross-listings," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(2), pages 359-384, November.
    12. Klasa, Sandy & Maxwell, William F. & Ortiz-Molina, Hernán, 2009. "The strategic use of corporate cash holdings in collective bargaining with labor unions," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(3), pages 421-442, June.
    13. Kim, E. Han & Lu, Yao, 2011. "CEO ownership, external governance, and risk-taking," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(2), pages 272-292.
    14. Claessens, Stijn & Djankov, Simeon & Lang, Larry H. P., 2000. "The separation of ownership and control in East Asian Corporations," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(1-2), pages 81-112.
    15. Aggarwal, Reena & Erel, Isil & Ferreira, Miguel & Matos, Pedro, 2011. "Does governance travel around the world? Evidence from institutional investors," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(1), pages 154-181, April.
    16. Healy, Paul M. & Palepu, Krishna G., 2001. "Information asymmetry, corporate disclosure, and the capital markets: A review of the empirical disclosure literature," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(1-3), pages 405-440, September.
    17. Nandini Gupta & Kathy Yuan, 2009. "On the Growth Effect of Stock Market Liberalizations," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 22(11), pages 4715-4752, November.
    18. Edmans, Alex & Jayaraman, Sudarshan & Schneemeier, Jan, 2017. "The source of information in prices and investment-price sensitivity," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(1), pages 74-96.
    19. Mitton, Todd, 2006. "Stock market liberalization and operating performance at the firm level," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(3), pages 625-647, September.
    20. Bae, Kee-Hong & Ozoguz, Arzu & Tan, Hongping & Wirjanto, Tony S., 2012. "Do foreigners facilitate information transmission in emerging markets?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 105(1), pages 209-227.
    21. Barro, Robert J, 1990. "The Stock Market and Investment," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 3(1), pages 115-131.
    22. Bena, Jan & Ferreira, Miguel A & Matos, Pedro & Pires, Pedro, 2017. "Are foreign investors locusts? The long-term effects of foreign institutional ownership," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(1), pages 122-146.
    23. Toni M. Whited & Guojun Wu, 2006. "Financial Constraints Risk," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 19(2), pages 531-559.
    24. Gul, Ferdinand A. & Kim, Jeong-Bon & Qiu, Annie A., 2010. "Ownership concentration, foreign shareholding, audit quality, and stock price synchronicity: Evidence from China," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(3), pages 425-442, March.
    25. Charles J. Hadlock & Joshua R. Pierce, 2010. "New Evidence on Measuring Financial Constraints: Moving Beyond the KZ Index," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 23(5), pages 1909-1940.
    26. Chen, Zhian & Du, Jinmin & Li, Donghui & Ouyang, Rui, 2013. "Does foreign institutional ownership increase return volatility? Evidence from China," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 660-669.
    27. Henry, Peter Blair, 2000. "Do stock market liberalizations cause investment booms?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(1-2), pages 301-334.
    28. Wang, Shuxun, 2021. "How does stock market liberalization influence corporate innovation? Evidence from Stock Connect scheme in China," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(C).
    29. Bhide, Amar, 1993. "The hidden costs of stock market liquidity," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 31-51, August.
    30. Ferreira, Miguel A. & Matos, Pedro, 2008. "The colors of investors' money: The role of institutional investors around the world," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(3), pages 499-533, June.
    31. Hu, Yi & Li, Yong & Zeng, Jianyu, 2019. "Stock liquidity and corporate cash holdings," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 416-422.
    32. Yu, Fang (Frank), 2008. "Analyst coverage and earnings management," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(2), pages 245-271, May.
    33. Jia, Qiaoyu & Zhou, Jia'nan, 2021. "The dark side of stock market liberalization: Perspectives from corporate R&D activities in China," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yuan, Li & Rao, Siqi & Yang, Shenggang & Dai, Pengyi, 2023. "Does equity market openness increase productivity? the dual effects of Shanghai-Hong Kong stock Connect program in China," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    2. Li, Zhisheng & Liu, Chun & Ni, Xiaoran & Pang, Jiaren, 2024. "Stock market liberalization and corporate investment revisited: Evidence from China," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    3. Liu, Xiaojun & Wang, Li & Dai, Yunhao, 2023. "Capital market liberalization and opportunistic insider sales: Evidence from China," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    4. Zhang, Liguang & Li, Zhuohao & Liao, Yunxiang & Wang, Yunchen & Hu, Ning, 2023. "Foreign investment and information quality – A quasi-experiment from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    5. Zhao, Yi & Fu, Renhui & Gao, Fang, 2024. "The impact of stock market liberalization on long-term investment: Evidence from mainland–Hong Kong stock connect programs in China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    6. Moshirian, Fariborz & Tian, Xuan & Zhang, Bohui & Zhang, Wenrui, 2021. "Stock market liberalization and innovation," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 139(3), pages 985-1014.
    7. Jianqiao Huang & Yunsen Chen & Xin Dai & Xiaoran Ni, 2022. "Stock market liberalisation and corporate cash holdings: evidence from China," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(S1), pages 1925-1955, April.
    8. Zhang, Ping & Sha, Yezhou & Wang, Yu & Wang, Tewei, 2022. "Capital market opening and stock price crash risk – Evidence from the Shanghai-Hong Kong stock connect and the Shenzhen-Hong Kong stock connect," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    9. Carpenter, Jennifer N. & Lu, Fangzhou & Whitelaw, Robert F., 2021. "The real value of China’s stock market," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 139(3), pages 679-696.
    10. Pereira da Silva, Paulo, 2021. "Do managers pay attention to the market? A review of the relationship between stock price informativeness and investment," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    11. Xu Cheng & Dongmin Kong & Xinwei Zheng & Qi Tang, 2022. "Do foreign investors crowd out sell‐side analysts? Evidence from China," The Financial Review, Eastern Finance Association, vol. 57(4), pages 815-834, November.
    12. Zhao, Yuyang & Xiang, Cheng & Cai, Wenwu, 2021. "Stock market liberalization and institutional herding: Evidence from the Shanghai-Hong Kong and Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connects," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    13. Yanyan Lin & Xipei Hou, 2024. "Stock market liberalisation and acquisition outcomes: Evidence from a natural experiment," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(3), pages 3344-3371, July.
    14. Wang, Ye & Liu, Xufeng & Wan, Die, 2023. "Stock market openness and ESG performance: Evidence from Shanghai-Hong Kong connect program," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 1306-1319.
    15. Xie, Lingmin & Chen, Zhian & Li, Donghui & Tan, Hongping, 2022. "Foreign analysts and managerial investment learning from stock markets," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    16. Yunsen Chen & Jianqiao Huang & Xiao Li & Qingbo Yuan, 2022. "Does stock market liberalization improve stock price efficiency? Evidence from China," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(7-8), pages 1175-1210, July.
    17. Loncan, Tiago, 2020. "Foreign institutional ownership and corporate cash holdings: Evidence from emerging economies," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    18. Chen, Yuyang & Wang, Xinlu & Chen, Kun, 2023. "Stock market liberalization and pay for market-based performance: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    19. Lee, Eugenia Y. & Ha, Wonsuk & Park, Sunyoung, 2023. "Auditor specialization in R&D and clients’ R&D investment-q sensitivity," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(2).
    20. Attig, Najah & El Ghoul, Sadok, 2021. "Flying under the radar: The real effects of anonymous trading," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Stock market liberalization; Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect; Cash savings sensitivity; Corporate governance; Stock price informativeness;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G31 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Capital Budgeting; Fixed Investment and Inventory Studies
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:reveco:v:88:y:2023:i:c:p:1247-1271. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/620165 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.