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The war puzzle: contradictory effects of international conflicts on stock markets

Author

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  • Amelie Brune
  • Thorsten Hens
  • Marc Rieger
  • Mei Wang

Abstract

We study stock market reactions to large international military conflicts since World War II. Using a news analysis proxy for the estimated likelihood that a conflict will result in a war, we find that an increase in the war likelihood tends to decrease stock prices, but the ultimate outbreak of a war increases them. In cases when a war starts surprisingly, however, the outbreak of a war decreases stock prices. We show that this puzzle cannot be explained by risk or ambiguity aversion or by expectations about a quick end of the war. Copyright Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Amelie Brune & Thorsten Hens & Marc Rieger & Mei Wang, 2015. "The war puzzle: contradictory effects of international conflicts on stock markets," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 62(1), pages 1-21, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:inrvec:v:62:y:2015:i:1:p:1-21
    DOI: 10.1007/s12232-014-0215-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Hanedar, Avni Önder & Yaldız Hanedar, Elmas, 2017. "Stock market reactions to wars and political risks: A cliometric perspective for a falling empire," MPRA Paper 85600, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 25 Mar 2018.
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    11. Lo, Gaye-Del & Marcelin, Isaac & Bassène, Théophile & Sène, Babacar, 2022. "The Russo-Ukrainian war and financial markets: the role of dependence on Russian commodities," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    12. Gupta, Rangan & Kollias, Christos & Papadamou, Stephanos & Wohar, Mark E., 2018. "News implied volatility and the stock-bond nexus: Evidence from historical data for the USA and the UK markets," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 47, pages 76-90.
    13. Ioannis Dokas & Georgios Oikonomou & Minas Panagiotidis & Eleftherios Spyromitros, 2023. "Macroeconomic and Uncertainty Shocks’ Effects on Energy Prices: A Comprehensive Literature Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-35, February.
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    15. Antonio Jose Garzon Gordon & Luis Angel Hierro Recio, 2019. "External Effects of the War in Ukraine: The Impact on the Price of Oil in the Short-term," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 9(2), pages 267-276.
    16. Bougias, Alexandros & Episcopos, Athanasios & Leledakis, George N., 2022. "Valuation of European firms during the Russia–Ukraine war," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    17. Karamti, Chiraz & Jeribi, Ahmed, 2023. "Stock markets from COVID-19 to the Russia–Ukraine crisis: Structural breaks in interactive effects panels," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 28(C).
    18. Marta Anita Karaś & Michał Boda, 2024. "Stabilność i wyniki finansowe banków w krajach Europy graniczących z konfliktem militarnym w Ukrainie," Gospodarka Narodowa. The Polish Journal of Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, issue 2, pages 64-111.
    19. Toan Luu Duc Huynh & Tobias Burggraf, 2020. "If worst comes to worst: Co-movement of global stock markets in the US-China trade war," Economics and Business Letters, Oviedo University Press, vol. 9(1), pages 21-30.
    20. Yousaf, Imran & Patel, Ritesh & Yarovaya, Larisa, 2022. "The reaction of G20+ stock markets to the Russia–Ukraine conflict “black-swan” event: Evidence from event study approach," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 35(C).
    21. Antonio Focacci & Angelo Focacci & Alessandro Faenza, 2024. "The lens of the quantity theory of money to disentangle the perceived relationship between money growth and inflation: a PSVAR approach," Eurasian Economic Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 14(3), pages 571-595, September.
    22. Evrim Mandaci, Pınar & Azimli, Asil & Mandaci, Nazif, 2023. "The impact of geopolitical risks on connectedness among natural resource commodities: A quantile vector autoregressive approach," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    International conflicts; War; Stock market reaction; News analysis; Behavioral finance; G11; G14; G19;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G19 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Other

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