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Market Consequences of Sovereign Accounting Errors

Author

Listed:
  • Marion Boisseau-Sierra

    (Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1AG, United Kingdom)

  • Jenny Chu

    (Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1AG, United Kingdom)

  • Shiva Rajgopal

    (Columbia Business School, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027)

Abstract

This paper investigates the market consequences of sovereign accounting errors, opening a new area of research on sovereign accounting quality in the accounting literature. Eurostat, a division of the European Commission, provides semiannual assessments of financial reports produced by the member states of the European Union (EU) and issues reservations that detail financial reporting errors. Using a sample of Eurostat reservation issuances across 28 EU countries from 2004 to 2018, we find that sovereign bond yields abnormally increase during a reservation announcement window, especially when a reservation explicitly mentions deficit or debt, when it quantifies the extent of the errors’ financial impact, or when the errors relate to recent fiscal data. Consistent with a home bias after the release of negative news, we find that domestic holdings of sovereign debt increase after the issuance of a reservation. Overall, our evidence suggests that sovereign accounting errors have significant market consequences and raises further questions for future research in sovereign accounting quality.

Suggested Citation

  • Marion Boisseau-Sierra & Jenny Chu & Shiva Rajgopal, 2024. "Market Consequences of Sovereign Accounting Errors," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 70(6), pages 4145-4154, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ormnsc:v:70:y:2024:i:6:p:4145-4154
    DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.2023.00724
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    References listed on IDEAS

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