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Probability distortion, asset prices, and economic growth

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  • Dierkes, Maik
  • Germer, Stephan
  • Sejdiu, Vulnet

Abstract

In this paper, we link stock market investors’ probability distortion to future economic growth. The empirical challenge is to quantify the optimality of today’s decision making to test for its impact on future economic growth. Fortunately, risk preferences can be estimated from stock markets. Using monthly aggregate stock prices from 1926 to 2015, we estimate risk preferences via an asset pricing model with Cumulative Prospect Theory (CPT) agents and distill a recently proposed probability distortion index. This index negatively predicts GDP growth in-sample and out-of-sample. Predictability is stronger and more reliable over longer horizons. Our results suggest that distorted asset prices may lead to significant welfare losses.

Suggested Citation

  • Dierkes, Maik & Germer, Stephan & Sejdiu, Vulnet, 2020. "Probability distortion, asset prices, and economic growth," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:soceco:v:84:y:2020:i:c:s2214804318304774
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socec.2019.101476
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Economic growth; Probability distortion; Suboptimal decision making;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G02 - Financial Economics - - General - - - Behavioral Finance: Underlying Principles
    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates

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