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Interactions between investors’ fear and greed sentiment and Bitcoin prices

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  • Gaies, Brahim
  • Nakhli, Mohamed Sahbi
  • Sahut, Jean-Michel
  • Schweizer, Denis

Abstract

This paper examines the relationship between investor fear in the cryptocurrency market and Bitcoin prices by considering the potential effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic during the period of May 5, 2018 and December 10, 2020. The existence of structural changes in the time series for the full sample reveals a non-constant causality between fear sentiment and Bitcoin prices, which leads us to apply a bootstrap rolling window Granger causality test. Our results show that both negative and positive interactions between fear sentiment and Bitcoin prices occur during several subperiods. The nature of these interactions changes significantly before and during the pandemic. Thus, we contribute to the fast-growing literature on the financial effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic, as well as to the debate on whether to classify Bitcoin as a new asset, speculative investment, currency, or safe haven asset.

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  • Gaies, Brahim & Nakhli, Mohamed Sahbi & Sahut, Jean-Michel & Schweizer, Denis, 2023. "Interactions between investors’ fear and greed sentiment and Bitcoin prices," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecofin:v:67:y:2023:i:c:s1062940823000475
    DOI: 10.1016/j.najef.2023.101924
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    2. Wang, Jying-Nan & Vigne, Samuel A. & Liu, Hung-Chun & Hsu, Yuan-Teng, 2024. "Divergent jump characteristics in brown and green cryptocurrencies: The role of energy-related uncertainty," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bitcoin; COVID-19; Cryptocurrency; Fear; Globalization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C32 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes; State Space Models
    • F31 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Exchange
    • F37 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Finance Forecasting and Simulation: Models and Applications
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G15 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - International Financial Markets

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