IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/finlet/v61y2024ics1544612324000576.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Individual investor trading and stock returns after the Covid-19 pandemic: Evidence from Korea

Author

Listed:
  • Kwak, Jun Hee

Abstract

This paper reveals a significant attenuation in the previously observed positive association between individual investors’ purchases and stock returns following the Covid-19 pandemic. To investigate these changes, I utilize a comprehensive dataset of daily stock transactions, categorized by investor groups, from the Korean main board market. By employing a difference-in-difference regression model, I find that stocks influenced by the influx of amateur investors or attention-based trading post-pandemic are the key drivers behind this transformation. These findings suggest that policymakers might need to consider implementing systematic liquidity provision programs, such as market-making activities, to fill the liquidity gap created by individual investors.

Suggested Citation

  • Kwak, Jun Hee, 2024. "Individual investor trading and stock returns after the Covid-19 pandemic: Evidence from Korea," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:61:y:2024:i:c:s1544612324000576
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2024.105027
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1544612324000576
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.frl.2024.105027?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hyuk Choe & Bong-Chan Kho & René M. Stulz, 2005. "Do Domestic Investors Have an Edge? The Trading Experience of Foreign Investors in Korea," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 18(3), pages 795-829.
    2. repec:bla:jfinan:v:43:y:1988:i:3:p:617-37 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Ron Kaniel & Gideon Saar & Sheridan Titman, 2008. "Individual Investor Trading and Stock Returns," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 63(1), pages 273-310, February.
    4. Malcolm Baker & Jeffrey Wurgler, 2006. "Investor Sentiment and the Cross‐Section of Stock Returns," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 61(4), pages 1645-1680, August.
    5. Hsieh, Shu-Fan & Chan, Chia-Ying & Wang, Ming-Chun, 2020. "Retail investor attention and herding behavior," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 109-132.
    6. Malcolm Baker & Jeffrey Wurgler, 2007. "Investor Sentiment in the Stock Market," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 21(2), pages 129-152, Spring.
    7. Pagano, Michael S. & Sedunov, John & Velthuis, Raisa, 2021. "How did retail investors respond to the COVID-19 pandemic? The effect of Robinhood brokerage customers on market quality," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    8. Grossman, S.J. & Miller, M.H., 1988. "Liquidity And Market Structure," Papers 88, Princeton, Department of Economics - Financial Research Center.
    9. John Y. Campbell & Sanford J. Grossman & Jiang Wang, 1993. "Trading Volume and Serial Correlation in Stock Returns," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 108(4), pages 905-939.
    10. Amihud, Yakov, 2002. "Illiquidity and stock returns: cross-section and time-series effects," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 5(1), pages 31-56, January.
    11. Pedersen, Lasse Heje, 2022. "Game on: Social networks and markets," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(3), pages 1097-1119.
    12. Kyle, Albert S, 1985. "Continuous Auctions and Insider Trading," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 53(6), pages 1315-1335, November.
    13. Greenwood, Robin & Nagel, Stefan, 2009. "Inexperienced investors and bubbles," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(2), pages 239-258, August.
    14. Barrot, Jean-Noel & Kaniel, Ron & Sraer, David, 2016. "Are retail traders compensated for providing liquidity?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 120(1), pages 146-168.
    15. Ozik, Gideon & Sadka, Ronnie & Shen, Siyi, 2021. "Flattening the Illiquidity Curve: Retail Trading During the COVID-19 Lockdown," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 56(7), pages 2356-2388, November.
    16. Zhi Da & Joseph Engelberg & Pengjie Gao, 2011. "In Search of Attention," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 66(5), pages 1461-1499, October.
    17. Brad M. Barber & Terrance Odean, 2008. "All That Glitters: The Effect of Attention and News on the Buying Behavior of Individual and Institutional Investors," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 21(2), pages 785-818, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Fotini Economou & Konstantinos Gavriilidis & Bartosz Gebka & Vasileios Kallinterakis, 2022. "Feedback trading: a review of theory and empirical evidence," Review of Behavioral Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 15(4), pages 429-476, February.
    2. Brad M. Barber & Xing Huang & Terrance Odean & Christopher Schwarz, 2022. "Attention‐Induced Trading and Returns: Evidence from Robinhood Users," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 77(6), pages 3141-3190, December.
    3. Haghighi, Afshin & Faff, Robert & Oliver, Barry, 2024. "Retail traders and co-movement: Evidence from Robinhood trading activity," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 95(PB).
    4. Turan G. Bali & Robert F. Engle & Yi Tang, 2017. "Dynamic Conditional Beta Is Alive and Well in the Cross Section of Daily Stock Returns," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 63(11), pages 3760-3779, November.
    5. Wang, Albert Y. & Young, Michael, 2023. "Mood, attention, and household trading: Evidence from terrorist attacks," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    6. Guglielmo Maria Caporale & Menelaos Karanasos & Stavroula Yfanti & Aris Kartsaklas, 2021. "Investors' trading behaviour and stock market volatility during crisis periods: A dual long‐memory model for the Korean Stock Exchange," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(3), pages 4441-4461, July.
    7. Yang Gao & Chengjie Zhao & Bianxia Sun & Wandi Zhao, 2022. "Effects of investor sentiment on stock volatility: new evidences from multi-source data in China’s green stock markets," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 8(1), pages 1-30, December.
    8. Owain Ap Gwilym & Iftekhar Hasan & Qingwei Wang & Ru Xie, 2016. "In Search of Concepts: The Effects of Speculative Demand on Stock Returns," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 22(3), pages 427-449, June.
    9. Chen, Zhijuan & Lin, William T. & Ma, Changfeng, 2019. "Do individual investors demand or provide liquidity? New evidence from dividend announcements," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    10. Zhijuan Chen & William T. Lin & Changfeng Ma & Kent Wang, 2020. "Are individual investors liquidity providers around earnings announcements? Evidence from an emerging market," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(4), pages 3447-3475, December.
    11. Ma, Yao & Yang, Baochen & Su, Yunpeng, 2021. "Stock return predictability: Evidence from moving averages of trading volume," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    12. Xiong, Xiong & Meng, Yongqiang & Joseph, Nathan Lael & Shen, Dehua, 2020. "Stock mispricing, hard-to-value stocks and the influence of internet stock message boards," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    13. Hwang, Yoontae & Park, Junpyo & Kim, Jang Ho & Lee, Yongjae & Fabozzi, Frank J., 2024. "Heterogeneous trading behaviors of individual investors: A deep clustering approach," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    14. Cai, Haidong & Jiang, Ying & Liu, Xiaoquan, 2022. "Investor attention, aggregate limit-hits, and stock returns," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    15. Stéphane Goutte & David Guerreiro & Bilel Sanhaji & Sophie Saglio & Julien Chevallier, 2019. "International Financial Markets," Post-Print halshs-02183053, HAL.
    16. Zhu, Zhaobo & Sun, Licheng & Yung, Kenneth & Chen, Min, 2020. "Limited investor attention, relative fundamental strength, and the cross-section of stock returns," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 52(4).
    17. Han, Yufeng & Huang, Dashan & Huang, Dayong & Zhou, Guofu, 2022. "Expected return, volume, and mispricing," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(3), pages 1295-1315.
    18. Campbell, John Y. & Ramadorai, Tarun & Schwartz, Allie, 2009. "Caught on tape: Institutional trading, stock returns, and earnings announcements," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(1), pages 66-91, April.
    19. Ding, Rong & Hou, Wenxuan, 2015. "Retail investor attention and stock liquidity," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 12-26.
    20. Yu, Hsin-Yi & Hsieh, Shu-Fan, 2010. "The effect of attention on buying behavior during a financial crisis: Evidence from the Taiwan stock exchange," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 19(4), pages 270-280, September.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Stock return; Individual investor; Covid-19 pandemic; Contrarian trading; Amateur investor;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G41 - Financial Economics - - Behavioral Finance - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making in Financial Markets

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:61:y:2024:i:c:s1544612324000576. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/frl .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.