Local and Global Sentiment Effects, and the Role of Legal, Information and Trading Environments

50 Pages Posted: 15 Mar 2012

See all articles by Yuk Ying (Candie) Chang

Yuk Ying (Candie) Chang

Massey University

Robert W. Faff

University of Queensland; Bond University

Chuan-Yang Hwang

Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University

Date Written: February 28, 2012

Abstract

Using domestic consumer confidence indicators to proxy investor sentiment and data from 23 different equity markets, we document a pervasive overall sentiment effect. We further document a significant effect of global sentiment across these markets. More accessible markets have stronger global sentiment effects, suggesting that capital flows help the spread of sentiment across borders. For locally sourced sentiment, the core finding is of a stronger sentiment effect in a poorer environment. On the other hand, for globally sourced sentiment the opposite result is strongly evidenced, namely, that a stronger sentiment effect tends to be linked to a stronger environment. Broadly speaking, a better domestic legal and information environment is associated with weaker local and stronger global sentiment effects. Our findings suggest that, the effect of a good environment on facilitating arbitrage activity is stronger than its effect on attracting local behavioral investors but weaker than its effect in attracting foreign behavioral investors. Our results also suggest that a good legal environment rather than low transaction costs is the primary concern when behavioral investors seek foreign investment opportunities.

Keywords: Local Sentiment, Global Sentiment, Contagion, Legal Environment, Trading Environment, Information Environment

JEL Classification: G15, G14

Suggested Citation

Chang, Yuk Ying and Faff, Robert W. and Hwang, Chuan-Yang, Local and Global Sentiment Effects, and the Role of Legal, Information and Trading Environments (February 28, 2012). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1800550 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1800550

Yuk Ying Chang (Contact Author)

Massey University ( email )

Palmerston North
New Zealand

Robert W. Faff

University of Queensland ( email )

St Lucia
Brisbane, Queensland 4072
Australia

Bond University ( email )

Gold Coast, QLD 4229
Australia

Chuan-Yang Hwang

Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University ( email )

Singapore, 639798
Singapore
65-67905003 (Phone)
65-6791-3697 (Fax)

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