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Entropy and the value of information for investors

Author

Listed:
  • Antonio Cabrales

    (Universidad Carlos III de Madrid)

  • Olivier Gossner

    (Paris School of Economics and LSE)

  • Roberto Serrano

    (Brown University and IMDEA Social Sciences Institute)

Abstract

Consider any investor who fears ruin facing any set of investments that satisfy no-arbitrage. Before investing, he can purchase information about the state of nature in the form of an information structure. Given his prior, information structure alpha is more informative than information structure beta if whenever he rejects alpha at some price, he also rejects beta at that price. We show that this complete informativeness ordering is represented by the decrease in entropy of his beliefs, regardless of his preferences, initial wealth or investment problem. It is also shown that no prior-independent informativeness ordering based on similar premises exists.

Suggested Citation

  • Antonio Cabrales & Olivier Gossner & Roberto Serrano, 2010. "Entropy and the value of information for investors," Working Papers 2010-23, Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados (IMDEA) Ciencias Sociales.
    • Handle: RePEc:imd:wpaper:wp2010-23
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    informativeness; information structures; entropy; decision under uncertainty; investment; Blackwell ordering;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C00 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - General - - - General
    • C43 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Index Numbers and Aggregation
    • D00 - Microeconomics - - General - - - General
    • D80 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - General
    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • G00 - Financial Economics - - General - - - General
    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions

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