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The negative news threshold—An explanation for negative skewness in stock returns

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  • Anders Ekholm
  • Daniel Pasternack

Abstract

A vast literature documents negative skewness in stock index return distributions on several markets. In this paper the issue of negative skewness is approached from a different angle to previous studies by combining the Trueman's 1997 model of management disclosure practices with symmetric market responses in order to explain negative skewness in stock returns. Empirical tests reveal that returns for days when non-scheduled news items are disclosed are the source of negative skewness in stock returns, as predicted. These findings suggest that negative skewness in stock returns is induced by asymmetries in the news disclosure policies of firm management. Furthermore, it is found that the returns are negatively skewed only for non-scheduled firm-specific news disclosures for firms where the management is compensated with stock options.

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  • Anders Ekholm & Daniel Pasternack, 2005. "The negative news threshold—An explanation for negative skewness in stock returns," The European Journal of Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(6), pages 511-529.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:eurjfi:v:11:y:2005:i:6:p:511-529
    DOI: 10.1080/1351847042000286702
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    2. Koutmos, Dimitrios & Song, Wei, 2014. "Speculative dynamics and price behavior in the Shanghai Stock Exchange," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 74-86.

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