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Margin Trading, Overpricing, and Synchronization Risk

Author

Listed:
  • Sanjeev Bhojraj
  • Robert J. Bloomfield
  • William B. Tayler

Abstract

We provide experimental evidence that relaxing margin restrictions to allow more short selling can exacerbate overpricing, even though it reduces equilibrium price levels. This is because smart-money traders initially profit more by front-running optimistic investor sentiment than by disciplining prices. When short selling is not possible, competitive pressures among arbitrageurs rapidly drive prices to the equilibrium. However, the risk of margin calls slows the convergence process, because arbitrageurs who sell short too early face substantial losses if they are unable to synchronize their trades with other arbitrageurs (as in Abreu and Brunnermeier. 2002. Journal of Financial Economics 66(2--3):341--60; 2003. Econometrica 71(1):173--204). The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Society for Financial Studies. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org., Oxford University Press.

Suggested Citation

  • Sanjeev Bhojraj & Robert J. Bloomfield & William B. Tayler, 2009. "Margin Trading, Overpricing, and Synchronization Risk," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 22(5), pages 2059-2085, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:rfinst:v:22:y:2009:i:5:p:2059-2085
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/rfs/hhn045
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Krainer, Robert E., 2013. "Towards a program for financial stability," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 207-218.
    2. Pavlidis, Efthymios G. & Vasilopoulos, Kostas, 2020. "Speculative bubbles in segmented markets: Evidence from Chinese cross-listed stocks," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    3. Li Qian & Mingsheng Li & Yan Li, 2020. "Does news travel slowly before a market crash? The role of margin traders," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(3), pages 3065-3101, September.
    4. Gerlinde Fellner & Erik Theissen, 2006. "Short Sale Constraints, Divergence of Opinion and Asset Values: Evidence from the Laboratory," Labsi Experimental Economics Laboratory University of Siena 009, University of Siena.
    5. Palan, Stefan & Stöckl, Thomas, 2017. "When chasing the offender hurts the victim: The case of insider legislation," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 104-129.
    6. Turiel, Jeremy D. & Aste, Tomaso, 2022. "Heterogeneous criticality in high frequency finance: a phase transition in flash crashes," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 113892, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    7. Shyu, Yih-Wen & Chan, Kam C. & Liang, Hsin-Yu, 2018. "Spillovers of price efficiency and informed trading from short sales to margin purchases in absence of uptick rule," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 163-183.
    8. Sascha Füllbrunn & Tibor Neugebauer, 2012. "Margin Trading Bans in Experimental Asset Markets," Jena Economics Research Papers 2012-058, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena.
    9. W. Brooke Elliott & Susan D. Krische & Mark E. Peecher, 2010. "Expected Mispricing: The Joint Influence of Accounting Transparency and Investor Base," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(2), pages 343-381, May.
    10. Douglas R. Emery, 2022. "Negative bubbles and the market for “dreams”: “Lemons” in the looking glass," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 45(1), pages 5-16, March.
    11. Fellner, Gerlinde & Theissen, Erik, 2014. "Short sale constraints, divergence of opinion and asset prices: Evidence from the laboratory," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 113-127.

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