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Short Interests in Real Estate Investment Trusts

Author

Listed:
  • Deqing Diane Li

    (University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, Maryland 21853)

  • Kenneth Yung

    (Old Dominion University, College of Business and Public Administration, Norfolk, VA 23529)

Abstract

We examine short interests in equity real estate investment trusts (REITs) between 1994 and 2001. Our results show that only high levels (the 90th percentile) of short interest are associated with significant negative REIT returns as the bearish content of short interest may have been mitigated by the favorable risk characteristics of real estate securities. In addition, the significant negative relationship between short interest and REIT returns applies only to REITs with poor performance. The result implies that the bearish sentiment of short interest could also be mitigated by good REIT managers in a real estate market that is informationally inefficient. The results of a logistic regression model further show that the short selling of REIT shares can be explained by firm-specific factors such as operating efficiency, fundamental value, and liquidity. Given that short interest is not indiscriminately associated with negative REIT returns and that the short positions are firm-specific, the results are consistent with implications that short interests in REITs represent attempts to make short-term profits rather than general bearishness regarding real estate investments.

Suggested Citation

  • Deqing Diane Li & Kenneth Yung, 2004. "Short Interests in Real Estate Investment Trusts," International Real Estate Review, Global Social Science Institute, vol. 7(1), pages 56-70.
    • Handle: RePEc:ire:issued:v:07:n:01:2004:p:56-70
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Maximilian Brauers & Matthias Thomas & Joachim Zietz, 2014. "Are There Rational Bubbles in REITs? New Evidence from a Complex Systems Approach," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 49(2), pages 165-184, August.
    2. Devaney, Michael, 2012. "Financial crisis, REIT short-sell restrictions and event induced volatility," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 52(2), pages 219-226.
    3. James Payne & George Waters, 2007. "Have Equity REITs Experienced Periodically Collapsing Bubbles?," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 34(2), pages 207-224, February.
    4. Pedro A.C. Saffi & Carles Vergara‐Alert, 2020. "The Big Short: Short Selling Activity and Predictability in House Prices," Real Estate Economics, American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, vol. 48(4), pages 1030-1073, December.
    5. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Lee, Cheng-Feng & Lee, Chi-Chuan, 2014. "Asymmetric dynamics in REIT prices: Further evidence based on quantile regression analysis," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 29-37.
    6. Cashman, George D. & Harrison, David M. & Sheng, Hainan, 2022. "Short sales, short risk, and return predictability in Asia-Pacific real estate markets," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    7. Benjamas Jirasakuldech & Robert Campbell & John Knight, 2006. "Are There Rational Speculative Bubbles in REITs?," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 32(2), pages 105-127, March.
    8. George D. Cashman & David M. Harrison & Hainan Sheng, 2022. "Short selling and options trading: A tale of two markets," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 45(2), pages 313-338, June.
    9. Ohannes George Paskelian & M. Kabir Hassan & Kathryn Whittaker Huff, 2011. "Are there bubbles in the REITs market? New evidence using regime-switching approach," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(19), pages 1451-1461.
    10. Erik Devos & Thomas McInish & Michael McKenzie & James Upson, 2014. "Naked Short Selling and the Market Impact of Fails-to-Deliver: Evidence from the Trading of Real Estate Investment Trusts," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 49(4), pages 454-476, November.
    11. George A. Waters & James E. Payne, 2007. "REIT markets and rational speculative bubbles: an empirical investigation," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(9), pages 747-753.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    short interest; real estate investment trusts (REITs);

    JEL classification:

    • L85 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Real Estate Services

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