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Broadband Internet and the Stock Market Investments of Individual Investors

Author

Listed:
  • Hans K. Hvide
  • Tom G. Meling
  • Magne Mogstad
  • Ola L. Vestad

Abstract

We study the effects of broadband internet use on the investment decisions of individual investors. A public program in Norway provides plausibly exogenous variation in internet use. Our instrumental variables estimates show that internet use causes a substantial increase in stock market participation, driven primarily by increased fund ownership. Existing investors tilt their portfolios towards funds, thereby obtaining more diversified portfolios and higher Sharpe ratios, and do not increase their trading activity in stocks. Overall, access to high-speed internet seems to spur a “democratization of finance”, with individuals making investment decisions that are more in line with the advice from portfolio theory.

Suggested Citation

  • Hans K. Hvide & Tom G. Meling & Magne Mogstad & Ola L. Vestad, 2022. "Broadband Internet and the Stock Market Investments of Individual Investors," NBER Working Papers 30383, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:30383
    Note: AP CF
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    Cited by:

    1. Engel, Janina & Riera, Pau Gayà & Grilli, Joseph & Sola, Pierre, 2022. "Developing reconciled quarterly distributional national wealth – insight into inequality and wealth structures," Working Paper Series 2687, European Central Bank.
    2. Cusato, Antonio & Castillo, José Luis & IDB Invest, 2023. "Access to Credit and the Expansion of Broadband Internet in Peru," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 12922, Inter-American Development Bank.
    3. Zhao, Chunkai & Wang, Runtao & Chen, Boou & Li, Jingrong, 2025. "Hidden costs of separation: Exploring the effect of left-behind experiences on financial market participation in China," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    4. Fang, Jiali & Jacobsen, Ben, 2024. "Cross-country determinants of market efficiency: A technical analysis perspective," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    5. Arenas-Arroyo, Esther & Fernandez-Kranz, Daniel & Nollenberger, Natalia, 2025. "High speed internet and the widening gender gap in adolescent mental health: Evidence from Spanish hospital records," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    6. Outlaw, Dominique, 2023. "Frenzied buyers and sophisticated sellers: How short sellers trade individual investors’ most purchased stocks," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).
    7. Sean Foley & Tom G Meling & Bernt Arne Ødegaard, 2023. "Tick Size Wars: The Market Quality Effects of Pricing Grid Competition," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 27(2), pages 659-692.
    8. Angelo D’Andrea & Patrick Hitayezu & Mr. Kangni R Kpodar & Nicola Limodio & Mr. Andrea F Presbitero, 2024. "Mobile Internet, Collateral, and Banking," IMF Working Papers 2024/070, International Monetary Fund.
    9. Liu, Kang & Ren, Yi & Yang, Fei, 2024. "Do national innovation policies lead to technological specialization or diversification? The role of path dependence and spatial spillovers," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 499-520.
    10. Meister, Lorenz & Menkhoff, Lukas & Schröder, Carsten, 2025. "Stock market participation, work from home, and inequality," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    11. Zhang, Yan & Wang, Xiaoyang & Zhang, Wenwen, 2025. "The impacts of clan culture on private investment: Financing substitution and human capital accumulation," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    12. Lorenz Meister & Karla Schulze, 2022. "How Shocks Affect Stock Market Participation," DIW Roundup: Politik im Fokus 142, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    13. Yin, Libo & Zhu, Xiaoye & Li, Jingtian, 2025. "Does exposure to biodiversity risk drive firms’ digital transformation?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D04 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Microeconomic Policy: Formulation; Implementation; Evaluation
    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • D15 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Intertemporal Household Choice; Life Cycle Models and Saving
    • G00 - Financial Economics - - General - - - General
    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • G40 - Financial Economics - - Behavioral Finance - - - General

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