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Dirty Air and Green Investments: The Impact of Pollution Information on Portfolio Allocations

Author

Listed:
  • Raymond Fisman
  • Pulak Ghosh
  • Arkodipta Sarkar
  • Jian Zhang

Abstract

We study exposure to pollution information and investment portfolio allocations, exploiting the rollout of air quality monitoring stations in India. Using a triple-differences framework, we show that retail investors' investments in "brown" stocks are negatively related to local air pollution after a monitoring station appears nearby, with particularly pronounced effects on ``alert'' dates when air quality is listed as harmful to the general population. The effect of pollution information on investment choices is most prominent amongst tech-savvy investors who are most plausibly "treated" by real-time pollution data, and by younger investors who tend to be more sensitive to environmental concerns. Overall, our results provide micro-level support for the view that salience of environmental conditions affect investors' tastes for green investments, and preferences for environmental amenities more generally.

Suggested Citation

  • Raymond Fisman & Pulak Ghosh & Arkodipta Sarkar & Jian Zhang, 2023. "Dirty Air and Green Investments: The Impact of Pollution Information on Portfolio Allocations," NBER Working Papers 31813, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:31813
    Note: CF EEE
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • G41 - Financial Economics - - Behavioral Finance - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making in Financial Markets
    • Q51 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Valuation of Environmental Effects

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