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Learning Chinese? The changing investment behavior of foreign institutions in the Chinese stock market

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  • Korkeamäki, Timo
  • Virk, Nader
  • Wang, Haizhi
  • Wang, Peng

Abstract

We analyze preferences of foreign institutional investors in the Chinese stock market in a sample that covers 2003 to 2014. We find that foreign investors changed their investment behavior during the sample period from generic patterns found in much of the world to China-specific patterns. The results suggest that foreign institutions learned to adjust their investment behavior to account for unique features of the Chinese market. Rather than following the diversified portfolio approach, they follow investment strategies that focus on a limited number of firm features.

Suggested Citation

  • Korkeamäki, Timo & Virk, Nader & Wang, Haizhi & Wang, Peng, 2019. "Learning Chinese? The changing investment behavior of foreign institutions in the Chinese stock market," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 190-203.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finana:v:64:y:2019:i:c:p:190-203
    DOI: 10.1016/j.irfa.2019.05.011
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    4. Shoukat Ali & Ramiz Ur Rehman & Muhammad Ishfaq Ahmad & Joe Ueng, 2021. "Does Board Diversity Attract Foreign Institutional Ownership? Insights from the Chinese Equity Market," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-15, October.
    5. Guanming He & Xiaorong Li & Jingbo Luo, 2023. "The impact of the Shanghai–Hong Kong stock market connection on corporate innovation: Evidence from mainland China," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(3), pages 3132-3161, July.
    6. Shu-Ling Lin & Jun Lu, 2020. "Did Institutional Investors’ Behavior Affect U.S.-China Equity Market Sentiment? Evidence from the U.S.-China Trade Turbulence," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 8(6), pages 1-17, June.
    7. He, Lerong & Huang, Liying & Fang, Liting, 2022. "Institutional conditions, economic policy uncertainty and foreign institutional investment in China," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    8. Baker, H. Kent & Kumar, Satish & Goyal, Kirti & Sharma, Anuj, 2021. "International review of financial analysis: A retrospective evaluation between 1992 and 2020," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Foreign investor; Institutional investor; Qualified foreign institutional investor (QFII) scheme; China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • G15 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - International Financial Markets

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