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The Causal Effect of Limits to Arbitrage on Asset Pricing Anomalies

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  • Yongqiang Chu
  • David Hirshleifer
  • Liang Ma

Abstract

We examine the causal effect of limits to arbitrage on 11 well-known asset pricing anomalies using the pilot program of Regulation SHO, which relaxed short-sale constraints for a quasi-random set of pilot stocks, as a natural experiment. We find that the anomalies became weaker on portfolios constructed with pilot stocks during the pilot period. The pilot program reduced the combined anomaly long-short portfolio returns by 72 basis points per month, a difference that survives risk adjustment with standard factor models. The effect comes only from the short legs of the anomaly portfolios.

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  • Yongqiang Chu & David Hirshleifer & Liang Ma, 2017. "The Causal Effect of Limits to Arbitrage on Asset Pricing Anomalies," NBER Working Papers 24144, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:24144
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G18 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • G4 - Financial Economics - - Behavioral Finance

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