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Short selling and labor investment efficiency: evidence from the Chinese stock market

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  • Hui Ding
  • Xiaoran Ni
  • Hongmei Xu

Abstract

Exploring the staggered short sale deregulation on the Chinese stock market as quasi‐exogenous shocks, we find that the introduction of short selling is associated with higher deviations of labor investment from the level justified by economic fundamentals, i.e., lower labor investment efficiency. The main effect is more pronounced for firms that are more opaque, younger, and worse governed. Further evidence indicates that short sale deregulation mainly induces firms to overinvest in labor. Our overall findings suggest that faced with downward price pressures, firms may overinvest in labor to convey favorable information to stakeholders, resulting in less efficient labor investments.

Suggested Citation

  • Hui Ding & Xiaoran Ni & Hongmei Xu, 2021. "Short selling and labor investment efficiency: evidence from the Chinese stock market," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(S1), pages 2451-2476, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:acctfi:v:61:y:2021:i:s1:p:2451-2476
    DOI: 10.1111/acfi.12671
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    8. Ding, Hui & Liu, Chenguang & Ni, Xiaoran, 2023. "Creditor protection and labor investment efficiency: Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 58(PD).
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