The Economic Impact of Index Investing

Review of Financial Studies, Forthcoming

85 Pages Posted: 26 Sep 2015 Last revised: 27 Aug 2020

See all articles by Jonathan Brogaard

Jonathan Brogaard

University of Utah - David Eccles School of Business

Matthew C. Ringgenberg

University of Utah - Department of Finance

David Sovich

University of Kentucky - Gatton College of Business and Economics

Date Written: July 5, 2018

Abstract

We study the impact of index investing on firm performance by examining the link between commodity indices and firms that use index commodities. Around 2004, there was a dramatic increase in commodity index investing, an event referred to as the financialization of commodity markets. Following financialization, firms that use index commodities make worse production decisions, earn 40% lower profits, and have 6% higher costs. Consistent with a feedback channel in which market participants learn from prices, our results suggest that index investing distorts the price signal thereby generating a negative externality that impedes firms' ability to make production decisions.

Keywords: commodity markets, financialization, index investing, real economic impact

JEL Classification: G12, G14, Q02

Suggested Citation

Brogaard, Jonathan and Ringgenberg, Matthew C. and Sovich, David, The Economic Impact of Index Investing (July 5, 2018). Review of Financial Studies, Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2663398 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2663398

Jonathan Brogaard

University of Utah - David Eccles School of Business ( email )

1645 E Campus Center Dr
Salt Lake City, UT 84112-9303
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.jonathanbrogaard.com

Matthew C. Ringgenberg (Contact Author)

University of Utah - Department of Finance ( email )

David Eccles School of Business
Salt Lake City, UT 84112
United States

David Sovich

University of Kentucky - Gatton College of Business and Economics ( email )

550 South Limestone
Lexington, KY 40506
United States

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