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A behavioral theory of the effect of the risk-free rate on the demand for risky assets

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  • Ganzach, Yoav
  • Wohl, Avi

Abstract

We suggest a behavioral perspective for the demand for risky assets (DRA) in which the risk-free rate affects this demand: the lower the risk-free rate the higher the demand for risky assets. This perspective is based on the idea that changes in return exhibit decreasing sensitivity, that is, the impact of a change diminishes with the distance from the status quo (or reference point). We begin by demonstrating that when the risk-free rate decreases, DRA increases even among sophisticated subjects. We then provide support for our behavioral model in three experiments in which the risk-free rate is manipulated and demand for risky assets is measured. Experiments 1 and 2 rule out alternative explanations, demonstrating that decreasing sensitivity underlies, at least in part, the effect of the risk-free rate on DRA. Experiment 3 demonstrates the role of decreasing sensitivity when returns are presented in terms of monetary payoffs rather than interest rates.

Suggested Citation

  • Ganzach, Yoav & Wohl, Avi, 2018. "A behavioral theory of the effect of the risk-free rate on the demand for risky assets," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 23-27.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:soceco:v:76:y:2018:i:c:p:23-27
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socec.2018.06.006
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    1. Baars, Maren & Cordes, Henning & Mohrschladt, Hannes, 2020. "How negative interest rates affect the risk-taking of individual investors: Experimental evidence," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 32(C).
    2. Magomet Yandiev, 2021. "Risk-Free Rate in the Covid-19 Pandemic: Application Mistakes and Conclusions for Traders," Papers 2111.07075, arXiv.org.
    3. David-Pur, Lior & Galil, Koresh & Rosenboim, Mosi, 2020. "To decrease or not to decrease: The impact of zero and negative interest rates on investment decisions," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    4. Ricardo Sabbadini, 2018. "Loss Aversion and Search for Yield in Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt," Working Papers, Department of Economics 2018_16, University of São Paulo (FEA-USP).
    5. D’Hondt, Catherine & De Winne, Rudy & Todorovic, Aleksandar, 2021. "Target Returns and Negative Interest Rates," LIDAM Discussion Papers LFIN 2021011, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain Finance (LFIN).
    6. Salisu, Afees A. & Vo, Xuan Vinh, 2021. "The behavior of exchange rate and stock returns in high and low interest rate environments," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 138-149.
    7. Corneille, O. & D’Hondt, C. & De Winne, R. & Efendic, E. & Todorovic, A., 2021. "What leads people to tolerate negative interest rates on their savings?," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    8. Banerjee, Priyodorshi & Das, Tanmoy, 2019. "Simultaneous decisions under risk: An experimental investigation," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 82(C).

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