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Do investors follow the herd in option markets?

Author

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  • Bernales, Alejandro
  • Verousis, Thanos
  • Voukelatos, Nikolaos

Abstract

We investigate the previously unexplored herding behaviour of investors in option markets, by examining equity option contracts traded in the US between 1996 and 2012. We document strong herding effects in option trading activity that are conditional on a set of systematic factors related to periods of market stress. More specifically, we find that option investors tend to herd during periods of high market volatility risk, on dates of macroeconomic announcements, during the financial crisis of 2008, when a large number of market option positions is either opened or closed, and during periods of a large average dispersion of analysts’ forecasts.

Suggested Citation

  • Bernales, Alejandro & Verousis, Thanos & Voukelatos, Nikolaos, 2020. "Do investors follow the herd in option markets?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbfina:v:119:y:2020:i:c:s0378426616000406
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbankfin.2016.02.002
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    2. Roongkiat Ratanabanchuen & Kanis Saengchote & Voraprapa Nakavachara & Thitiphong Amonthumniyom & Pongsathon Parinyavuttichai & Polpatt Vinaibodee, 2024. "The test of investors' behavioral bias through the price discovery process in cryptoasset exchange" Transactional-level evidence from Thailand," Papers 2406.02878, arXiv.org.
    3. Juho Kanniainen & Martin Magris, 2018. "Option market (in)efficiency and implied volatility dynamics after return jumps," Papers 1810.12200, arXiv.org.
    4. Sumit Saurav & Sobhesh Kumar Agarwalla & Jayanth R. Varma, 2023. "Belief distortion near 52W high and low: Evidence from Indian equity options market," Journal of Futures Markets, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(11), pages 1531-1558, November.
    5. Yarovaya, Larisa & Matkovskyy, Roman & Jalan, Akanksha, 2021. "The effects of a “black swan” event (COVID-19) on herding behavior in cryptocurrency markets," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    6. Tao Chen & Robert K. Larson & Han Mo, 2024. "Investor Herding and Price Informativeness in Global Markets: Evidence from Earnings Announcements," Journal of Behavioral Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(1), pages 92-110, January.
    7. Alejandro Bernales & Thanos Verousis & Nikolaos Voukelatos & Mengyu Zhang, 2020. "What do we know about individual equity options?," Journal of Futures Markets, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 40(1), pages 67-91, January.
    8. Nikolaos Voukelatos & Thanos Verousis, 2019. "Option‐implied information and stock herding," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 24(4), pages 1429-1442, October.
    9. Scharnowski, Stefan & Shi, Yanghua, 2024. "Intraday herding and attention around the clock," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Herding; Cross-sectional dispersion; Options;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions

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