IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/fininn/v11y2025i1d10.1186_s40854-025-00764-1.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Geographical distance and stock price synchronization: evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Xiong Xiong

    (Tianjin University, Nankai District)

  • Chenghao Ruan

    (Tianjin University, Nankai District)

  • Yongqiang Meng

    (Tianjin University, Nankai District)

Abstract

The effects of geographic factors on information dissemination among investors have been extensively studied; however, the relationship between the geographical distance and stock price synchronization remains unclear. Grounded in information asymmetry theory, this study investigates the impact of geographical distance on stock price synchronization in the Chinese stock market. Using the data from the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges, we find that a greater geographical distance between mutual funds and firms considerably increases stock price synchronization, highlighting a strong positive relationship. Additional analysis show that firms in the regions with better external and internal governance, benefit more from reduced information asymmetry, than those in less regulated or transparent regions. These results have key implications for institutional investors and policymakers aiming to enhance information dissemination and market integration in China.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiong Xiong & Chenghao Ruan & Yongqiang Meng, 2025. "Geographical distance and stock price synchronization: evidence from China," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 11(1), pages 1-27, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:fininn:v:11:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1186_s40854-025-00764-1
    DOI: 10.1186/s40854-025-00764-1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1186/s40854-025-00764-1
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1186/s40854-025-00764-1?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jain, Pawan & Jiang, Christine & Mekhaimer, Mohamed, 2016. "Executives' horizon, internal governance and stock market liquidity," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 1-23.
    2. Cohen, Shira & Kadach, Igor & Ormazabal, Gaizka, 2023. "Institutional investors, climate disclosure, and carbon emissions," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(2).
    3. John Y. Campbell & Martin Lettau & Burton G. Malkiel & Yexiao Xu, 2001. "Have Individual Stocks Become More Volatile? An Empirical Exploration of Idiosyncratic Risk," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 56(1), pages 1-43, February.
    4. Baltakys, Kȩstutis & Baltakienė, Margarita & Kärkkäinen, Hannu & Kanniainen, Juho, 2019. "Neighbors matter: Geographical distance and trade timing in the stock market," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 31(C).
    5. Jitender Kumar & Manju Rani & Garima Rani & Vinki Rani, 2023. "What do individuals know, feel and do from a financial perspective? An empirical study on financial satisfaction," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 51(6), pages 771-785, October.
    6. Kalemli-Ozcan, Sebnem & Papaioannou, Elias & Peydró, José-Luis, 2013. "Financial regulation, financial globalization, and the synchronization of economic activity," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 68(3), pages 1179-1228.
    7. Joshua D. Coval & Tobias J. Moskowitz, 1999. "Home Bias at Home: Local Equity Preference in Domestic Portfolios," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 54(6), pages 2045-2073, December.
    8. Chen, Honghui & Qu, Yuanyu & Shen, Tao & Wang, Qinghai & Xu, David X., 2022. "The Geography of Information Acquisition," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 57(6), pages 2251-2285, September.
    9. Kim, Donghyun & Wang, Qinghai & Wang, Xiaoqiong, 2022. "Geographic clustering of institutional investors," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(2), pages 547-570.
    10. Jin, Li & Myers, Stewart C., 2006. "R2 around the world: New theory and new tests," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(2), pages 257-292, February.
    11. Kim, Incheol & Miller, Steve & Wan, Hong & Wang, Bin, 2016. "Drivers behind the monitoring effectiveness of global institutional investors: Evidence from earnings management," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 24-46.
    12. Yan Meng & Lingyun Xiong & Lijuan Xiao & Min Bai, 2023. "The effect of overseas investors on local market efficiency: evidence from the Shanghai/Shenzhen–Hong Kong Stock Connect," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 9(1), pages 1-32, December.
    13. Su, Kun & Zhang, Miaomiao & Liu, Chengyun, 2022. "Financial derivatives, analyst forecasts, and stock price synchronicity: Evidence from an emerging market," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    14. Boubaker, Sabri & Mansali, Hatem & Rjiba, Hatem, 2014. "Large controlling shareholders and stock price synchronicity," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 80-96.
    15. Martin, Ian W.R. & Nagel, Stefan, 2022. "Market efficiency in the age of big data," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(1), pages 154-177.
    16. Huang, Yuqin & Qiu, Huiyan & Wu, Zhiguo, 2016. "Local bias in investor attention: Evidence from China's Internet stock message boards," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 38(PA), pages 338-354.
    17. Peter Cziraki & Jordi Mondria & Thomas Wu, 2021. "Asymmetric Attention and Stock Returns," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(1), pages 48-71, January.
    18. Heß, Alexander & Hindermann, Christoph Michael, 2022. "The BRI: Trade integration and stock market synchronization. A review of empirical findings," Discourses in Social Market Economy 2022-3, OrdnungsPolitisches Portal (OPO).
    19. Faris Alshubiri, 2022. "The Impact of the Real Interest Rate, the Exchange Rate and Political Stability on Foreign Direct Investment Inflows: A Comparative Analysis of G7 and GCC Countries," Asia-Pacific Financial Markets, Springer;Japanese Association of Financial Economics and Engineering, vol. 29(3), pages 569-603, September.
    20. Guo, Yingwen & Li, Jingjing & Lin, Bingxuan, 2023. "Corporate site visit and tax avoidance: The effects of monitoring and tax knowledge dissemination," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    21. Chang, Yuyuan & Pan, Xiaofei & Wang, Jianling & Zhou, Qing, 2021. "Depoliticization and corporate cash holdings: Evidence from the mandated resignation of directors in China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    22. Faris Alshubiri, 2021. "The stock market capitalisation and financial growth nexus: an empirical study of western European countries," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 1-20, December.
    23. Nicole Y. Choi & Richard W. Sias, 2012. "Why Does Financial Strength Forecast Stock Returns? Evidence from Subsequent Demand by Institutional Investors," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 25(5), pages 1550-1587.
    24. Yang Gao & Chengjie Zhao & Bianxia Sun & Wandi Zhao, 2022. "Effects of investor sentiment on stock volatility: new evidences from multi-source data in China’s green stock markets," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 8(1), pages 1-30, December.
    25. Mark S. Seasholes & Ning Zhu, 2010. "Individual Investors and Local Bias," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 65(5), pages 1987-2010, October.
    26. Shao, Ran & Wang, Na, 2021. "Trust and local bias of individual investors," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    27. Xu, Lin & Rao, Yulei & Cheng, Yingmei & Wang, Jianxin, 2020. "Internal coalition and stock price crash risk," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    28. Yan Zhang & Yuheng Liang, 2023. "Collusion or monitoring? Connected institutional investors and stock price crash risk in China," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(6), pages 901-923, November.
    29. Yongqiang Chu & Xuan Tian & Wenyu Wang, 2019. "Corporate Innovation Along the Supply Chain," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(6), pages 2445-2466, June.
    30. Gul, Ferdinand A. & Kim, Jeong-Bon & Qiu, Annie A., 2010. "Ownership concentration, foreign shareholding, audit quality, and stock price synchronicity: Evidence from China," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(3), pages 425-442, March.
    31. Xiang, Cheng & Chen, Fengwen & Wang, Qian, 2020. "Institutional investor inattention and stock price crash risk," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 33(C).
    32. Kuang, Chun & Liu, Zijie & Zhu, Wenyu, 2021. "Need for speed: High-speed rail and firm performance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    33. Gennaro Bernile & Alok Kumar & Johan Sulaeman, 2015. "Home away from Home: Geography of Information and Local Investors," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 28(7), pages 2009-2049.
    34. Baoyin Qiu & Junli Yu & Kuo Zhang, 2020. "Trust and Stock Price Synchronicity: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 167(1), pages 97-109, November.
    35. Ye, Mao & Zheng, Miles Y. & Zhu, Wei, 2023. "The effect of tick size on managerial learning from stock prices," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(1).
    36. Huang, Xiaoran & Kang, Jun-Koo, 2017. "Geographic concentration of institutions, corporate governance, and firm value," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 191-218.
    37. Vicentiu M. Covrig & Mark L. Defond & Mingyi Hung, 2007. "Home Bias, Foreign Mutual Fund Holdings, and the Voluntary Adoption of International Accounting Standards," Journal of Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 45(1), pages 41-70, March.
    38. Boone, Audra L. & White, Joshua T., 2015. "The effect of institutional ownership on firm transparency and information production," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(3), pages 508-533.
    39. Chung, Chune Young & Sul, Hong Kee & Wang, Kainan, 2021. "A tale of two forms of proximity: Geography and market," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 14-23.
    40. Gong, Xiao-Li & Liu, Jia, 2023. "Institutional investor information network, analyst forecasting and stock price crash risk," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    41. Liu, Kun & Tang, Jintong & Yang, Kun (Michelle) & Arthurs, Jonathan, 2019. "Foreign IPOs in the U.S.: When entrepreneurial orientation meets institutional distance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 144-151.
    42. An, Heng & Zhang, Ting, 2013. "Stock price synchronicity, crash risk, and institutional investors," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 1-15.
    43. Gul, Ferdinand A. & Srinidhi, Bin & Ng, Anthony C., 2011. "Does board gender diversity improve the informativeness of stock prices?," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(3), pages 314-338, April.
    44. Xiang Zhang & Han Zhou, 2020. "Leverage structure and stock price synchronicity: Evidence from China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(7), pages 1-15, July.
    45. Dasgupta, Sudipto & Gan, Jie & Gao, Ning, 2010. "Transparency, Price Informativeness, and Stock Return Synchronicity: Theory and Evidence," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 45(5), pages 1189-1220, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Xiang Zhang & Han Zhou, 2020. "Leverage structure and stock price synchronicity: Evidence from China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(7), pages 1-15, July.
    2. Cai, Wenwu & Quan, Xiaofeng & Zhu, Zhenmei (Judy), 2023. "Rumors in the sky: Corporate rumors and stock price synchronicity," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    3. Chue, Timothy K. & Gul, Ferdinand A. & Mian, G. Mujtaba, 2019. "Aggregate investor sentiment and stock return synchronicity," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    4. Shahab, Yasir & Ntim, Collins G. & Ullah, Farid & Yugang, Chen & Ye, Zhiwei, 2020. "CEO power and stock price crash risk in China: Do female directors' critical mass and ownership structure matter?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    5. Cheema, Arbab K. & Eshraghi, Arman & Wang, Qingwei, 2023. "Macroeconomic news and price synchronicity," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 390-412.
    6. Gaganis, Chrysovalantis & Leledakis, George N. & Pasiouras, Fotios & Pyrgiotakis, Emmanouil G., 2025. "National culture of secrecy and stock price synchronicity: Cross-country evidence," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    7. Lu, Shan & Zhao, Jichang, 2024. "Investor network and stock return comovement: Information-seeking through intragroup and intergroup followings," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    8. Du, Jiayue & Gao, Haoyu & Wen, Huiyu & Ye, Yanyi, 2024. "Public data acces and stock price synchronicity: Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    9. Liu, Xianda & Hou, Wenxuan & Main, Brian G.M., 2024. "Military experience and subsequent effectiveness as a director," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 222(C), pages 144-176.
    10. Xiang, Youtao & Borjigin, Sumuya, 2025. "Hedge funds network and stock price crash risk," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 75(PA).
    11. Fu, Junhui & Chen, Xingwei & Liu, Yufang & Chen, Rongda, 2022. "Managerial ability and stock price synchronicity," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    12. Fenghua Wen & Yujie Yuan & Wei‐Xing Zhou, 2021. "Cross‐shareholding networks and stock price synchronicity: Evidence from China," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(1), pages 914-948, January.
    13. Ni, Xiaoran & Jin, Qi, 2024. "Institutional investors' limited attention and stock price informativeness in emerging markets: Evidence from China11We thank participants in 2021 China International Finance Conference (Shanghai) and," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    14. Wu, Yanran & Wu, Shan & Xu, Fujia & Jiang, Jie, 2024. "Wisdom of crowds or awkward squad? Social interaction and the information efficiency of the Chinese capital market," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    15. Doan, Anh-Tuan & Lin, Kun-Li, 2022. "Bank ownership and stock price informativeness. Does politics matter?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    16. Fenghua Wen & Yujie Yuan & Wei-Xing Zhou, 2019. "Cross-shareholding networks and stock price synchronicity: Evidence from China," Papers 1903.01655, arXiv.org.
    17. Joachim Gassen & Hollis A. Skaife & David Veenman, 2020. "Illiquidity and the Measurement of Stock Price Synchronicity," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 37(1), pages 419-456, March.
    18. Pi-Yun Yang & Dun-Yao Ke & Kai-Chien Chen & Thi Bao Ngoc Nguyen, 2024. "Foreign versus domestic institutional ownership and stock price synchronicity in Taiwan," Financial Markets and Portfolio Management, Springer;Swiss Society for Financial Market Research, vol. 38(2), pages 239-263, June.
    19. Li, Xuan, 2023. "Home bias in shareholder voting," Discussion Papers 2023/21, Norwegian School of Economics, Department of Business and Management Science.
    20. Doan, Anh-Tuan & Phan, Thu & Lin, Kun-Li, 2020. "Governance quality, bank price synchronicity and political uncertainty," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 231-262.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:fininn:v:11:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1186_s40854-025-00764-1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.