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Is attention-based stock buying profitable? Empirical evidence from Chinese individual investors

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  • Chen, Chen
  • Lu, Xiaomeng
  • Zhang, Yixing

Abstract

We find that a noticeable fraction of investors mainly purchases attention-grabbing stocks. We define investors with such preference as attention-based buyers. Based on Survey data of Chinese individual stock investors, we find that the overall earnings of attention-based buyers decreased by about 4% compared with other investors. Employing two-stage least squares (2SLS) regression we find the OLS regression underestimates the decrease in return. Moreover, attention-based buyers are more susceptible to news and are more inclined to use online-based information as the main reference. Attention-based buyers are more speculative, and demonstrate strong disposition effect. The incapability of investing and loss in return are all attributable to these characteristics. Findings in this article are helpful to the understanding of the typical behavior bias of Chinese individual stock investors.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen, Chen & Lu, Xiaomeng & Zhang, Yixing, 2023. "Is attention-based stock buying profitable? Empirical evidence from Chinese individual investors," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:pacfin:v:82:y:2023:i:c:s0927538x23001919
    DOI: 10.1016/j.pacfin.2023.102120
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Attention-based buying; Individual investors; Bounded rationality;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions

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