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The Local Bias of Individual Investors

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  • Ning Zhu

Abstract

This study investigates individual investors' bias towards nearby companies. Using data from a large U.S. discount brokerage, we find that individual investors tend to invest in companies closer to them relative to the market portfolio. Unlike Coval and Moskowitz's (1999) findings on institutional investors, however, we find that advantageous information cannot explain individual investors' local bias. Accounting numbers and information asymmetry matter less to individual investors' local bias than to that of institutional investors. Instead, we hypothesize that individuals' non-fundamentally based familiarity with local companies and ready reaction to local information are more plausible explanations. Consistent with this hypothesis, we find that individual investors are more likely to invest in remote companies that spend heavily on advertising. Evidence from investors' reactions to earnings announcements also confirms the hypothesis: local investors do not change their portfolios so as to take advantage of potentially advantageous information before earnings announcements. After earnings announcements, local investors change their portfolios more than remote investors in the direction opposite to the same earnings surprises.

Suggested Citation

  • Ning Zhu, 2002. "The Local Bias of Individual Investors," Yale School of Management Working Papers ysm272, Yale School of Management, revised 01 Sep 2009.
  • Handle: RePEc:ysm:somwrk:ysm272
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    Cited by:

    1. Zoran Ivkovi & Scott Weisbenner, 2007. "Information Diffusion Effects in Individual Investors' Common Stock Purchases: Covet Thy Neighbors' Investment Choices," Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 20(4), pages 1327-1357.
    2. Nicholas Apergis & Panagiotis Artikis, 2012. "Weather Conditions and the Bank Lending Channel: A GMM Approach from US Banking," International Journal of Financial Research, International Journal of Financial Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 3(2), pages 17-34, April.
    3. Laurent E. Calvet & John Y. Campbell & Paolo Sodini, 2007. "Down or Out: Assessing the Welfare Costs of Household Investment Mistakes," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 115(5), pages 707-747, October.
    4. Jeffrey R. Brown & Zoran Ivković & Paul A. Smith & Scott Weisbenner, 2004. "The geography of stock market participation: the influence of communities and local firms," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2004-22, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    5. Ivković, Zoran & Sialm, Clemens & Weisbenner, Scott, 2008. "Portfolio Concentration and the Performance of Individual Investors," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 43(3), pages 613-655, September.

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