IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/ijfiec/v26y2021i2p2748-2765.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Relationship between investor sentiment and earnings news in high‐ and low‐sentiment periods

Author

Listed:
  • Zhuo Li
  • Meiyu Tian
  • Guangda Ouyang
  • Fenghua Wen

Abstract

Using the Chinese equity market as the testing venue, this study explores how investor sentiment affects the immediate reaction of stock prices to earnings news in high‐ and low‐sentiment periods. Our key finding is that the sentiment‐driven pricing of earnings will differ between the two periods. Specifically, during high‐sentiment (low‐sentiment) periods, the stock price sensitivity to good (bad) earnings news increases (decreases) with investor sentiment, whereas the stock price sensitivity to bad (good) earnings news is unrelated to investor sentiment. Additionally, we find that the effect of sentiment is more pronounced for young, high volatility, growth and distressed stocks. However, contrary to the U.S. evidence, our results show that small stocks are not always more exposed to sentiment. Further analysis of the role of short‐sales constraints in the sensitivity of stock prices to bad earnings news implies that short sales can enhance informational efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhuo Li & Meiyu Tian & Guangda Ouyang & Fenghua Wen, 2021. "Relationship between investor sentiment and earnings news in high‐ and low‐sentiment periods," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(2), pages 2748-2765, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:ijfiec:v:26:y:2021:i:2:p:2748-2765
    DOI: 10.1002/ijfe.1931
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/ijfe.1931
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/ijfe.1931?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
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Liu, Jianan & Stambaugh, Robert F. & Yuan, Yu, 2019. "Size and value in China," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(1), pages 48-69.
    2. Freeman, Rn & Tse, Sy, 1992. "A Nonlinear Model Of Security Price Responses To Unexpected Earnings," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 185-209.
    3. Lipe, Robert C. & Bryant, Lisa & Widener, Sally K., 1998. "Do nonlinearity, firm-specific coefficients, and losses represent distinct factors in the relation between stock returns and accounting earnings?," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 25(2), pages 195-214, May.
    4. Robert M. Bushman & Joseph D. Piotroski & Abbie J. Smith, 2004. "What Determines Corporate Transparency?," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(2), pages 207-252, May.
    5. Chen, Crystal Xiaobei & Rhee, S. Ghon, 2010. "Short sales and speed of price adjustment: Evidence from the Hong Kong stock market," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 471-483, February.
    6. Deven Bathia & Don Bredin & Dirk Nitzsche, 2016. "International Sentiment Spillovers in Equity Returns," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 21(4), pages 332-359, October.
    7. Piotroski, Joseph D. & Zhang, Tianyu, 2014. "Politicians and the IPO decision: The impact of impending political promotions on IPO activity in China," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 111(1), pages 111-136.
    8. Nartea, Gilbert V. & Kong, Dongmin & Wu, Ji, 2017. "Do extreme returns matter in emerging markets? Evidence from the Chinese stock market," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 189-197.
    9. Cheema, Muhammad A. & Nartea, Gilbert V., 2017. "Momentum returns, market states, and market dynamics: Is China different?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 85-97.
    10. Schmeling, Maik, 2009. "Investor sentiment and stock returns: Some international evidence," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 16(3), pages 394-408, June.
    11. Berkman, Henk & Dimitrov, Valentin & Jain, Prem C. & Koch, Paul D. & Tice, Sheri, 2009. "Sell on the news: Differences of opinion, short-sales constraints, and returns around earnings announcements," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(3), pages 376-399, June.
    12. Zhifang He & Linjie He & Fenghua Wen, 2019. "Risk Compensation and Market Returns: The Role of Investor Sentiment in the Stock Market," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(3), pages 704-718, February.
    13. Dewenter, Kathryn & Novaes, Walter & Pettway, Richard H, 2001. "Visibility versus Complexity in Business Groups: Evidence from Japanese Keiretsu," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 74(1), pages 79-100, January.
    14. Mitchell A. Petersen, 2009. "Estimating Standard Errors in Finance Panel Data Sets: Comparing Approaches," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 22(1), pages 435-480, January.
    15. Truong, Cameron, 2011. "Post-earnings announcement abnormal return in the Chinese equity market," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 21(5), pages 637-661.
    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. 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.
    18. Stambaugh, Robert F. & Yu, Jianfeng & Yuan, Yu, 2012. "The short of it: Investor sentiment and anomalies," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(2), pages 288-302.
    19. De Long, J Bradford & Andrei Shleifer & Lawrence H. Summers & Robert J. Waldmann, 1990. "Noise Trader Risk in Financial Markets," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 98(4), pages 703-738, August.
    20. Xiong Xiong & Ya Gao & Xu Feng, 2017. "Successive short‐selling ban lifts and gradual price efficiency: evidence from China," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 57(5), pages 1557-1604, December.
    21. Gul, Ferdinand A. & Kim, Jeong-Bon & Qiu, Annie A., 2010. "Ownership concentration, foreign shareholding, audit quality, and stock price synchronicity: Evidence from China," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(3), pages 425-442, March.
    22. Joseph D. Piotroski & T. J. Wong & Tianyu Zhang, 2015. "Political Incentives to Suppress Negative Information: Evidence from Chinese Listed Firms," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(2), pages 405-459, May.
    23. Gao, Bin & Yang, Chunpeng, 2017. "Forecasting stock index futures returns with mixed-frequency sentiment," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 69-83.
    24. Hirshleifer, David & Teoh, Siew Hong, 2003. "Limited attention, information disclosure, and financial reporting," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(1-3), pages 337-386, December.
    25. Joshua Livnat & Richard R. Mendenhall, 2006. "Comparing the Post–Earnings Announcement Drift for Surprises Calculated from Analyst and Time Series Forecasts," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(1), pages 177-205, March.
    26. Li, Lifang & Galvani, Valentina, 2018. "Market states, sentiment, and momentum in the corporate bond market," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 249-265.
    27. Shen, Junyan & Yu, Jianfeng & Zhao, Shen, 2017. "Investor sentiment and economic forces," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 1-21.
    28. Bailey, Warren & Cai, Jun & Cheung, Yan Leung & Wang, Fenghua, 2009. "Stock returns, order imbalances, and commonality: Evidence on individual, institutional, and proprietary investors in China," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 9-19, January.
    29. Gongmeng Chen & Louis T. W. Cheng & Ning Gao, 2005. "Information Content and Timing of Earnings Announcements," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1‐2), pages 65-95, January.
    30. David Hirshleifer & Sonya S. Lim & Siew Hong Teoh, 2011. "Limited Investor Attention and Stock Market Misreactions to Accounting Information," The Review of Asset Pricing Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 1(1), pages 35-73.
    31. Yang Hou & Steven Li, 2013. "Price Discovery in Chinese Stock Index Futures Market: New Evidence Based on Intraday Data," Asia-Pacific Financial Markets, Springer;Japanese Association of Financial Economics and Engineering, vol. 20(1), pages 49-70, March.
    32. Miller, Edward M, 1977. "Risk, Uncertainty, and Divergence of Opinion," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 32(4), pages 1151-1168, September.
    33. Joseph D. Piotroski & T.J. Wong, 2012. "Institutions and Information Environment of Chinese Listed Firms," NBER Chapters, in: Capitalizing China, pages 201-242, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    34. Lee, Wayne Y. & Jiang, Christine X. & Indro, Daniel C., 2002. "Stock market volatility, excess returns, and the role of investor sentiment," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 26(12), pages 2277-2299.
    35. Wang, Gang-Jin & Xie, Chi & Jiang, Zhi-Qiang & Eugene Stanley, H., 2016. "Who are the net senders and recipients of volatility spillovers in China’s financial markets?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 18(C), pages 255-262.
    36. Ahsan Habib & Mostafa Monzur Hasan, 2017. "Firm life cycle, corporate risk-taking and investor sentiment," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 57(2), pages 465-497, June.
    37. Xiao, Jihong & Zhou, Min & Wen, Fengming & Wen, Fenghua, 2018. "Asymmetric impacts of oil price uncertainty on Chinese stock returns under different market conditions: Evidence from oil volatility index," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 777-786.
    38. Gongmeng Chen & Louis T. W. Cheng & Ning Gao, 2005. "Information Content and Timing of Earnings Announcements," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1-2), pages 65-95.
    39. Wu, Yanran & Liu, Tingting & Han, Liyan & Yin, Libo, 2018. "Optimistic bias of analysts' earnings forecasts: Does investor sentiment matter in China?," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 147-163.
    40. Wen, Fenghua & Xu, Longhao & Ouyang, Guangda & Kou, Gang, 2019. "Retail investor attention and stock price crash risk: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    41. Jiang, Fuxiu & Ma, Yunbiao & Shi, Beibei, 2017. "Stock liquidity and dividend payouts," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 295-314.
    42. XiaoGang Bi & Danni Wang, 2018. "External sources of political connections: Financial advisors and Chinese acquisitions," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 23(4), pages 705-722, October.
    43. Qian Han & Jufang Liang, 2017. "Index Futures Trading Restrictions and Spot Market Quality: Evidence from the Recent Chinese Stock Market Crash," Journal of Futures Markets, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 37(4), pages 411-428, April.
    44. Zhenyu Wu & Yuanshun Li & Shujun Ding & Chunxin Jia, 2016. "A separate monitoring organ and disclosure of firm-specific information," The European Journal of Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(4-6), pages 371-392, April.
    45. Lin, Chu-Bin & Chou, Robin K. & Wang, George H.K., 2018. "Investor sentiment and price discovery: Evidence from the pricing dynamics between the futures and spot markets," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 17-31.
    46. Jennifer Conrad & Bradford Cornell & Wayne R. Landsman, 2002. "When Is Bad News Really Bad News?," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 57(6), pages 2507-2532, December.
    47. Zhu, Bo & Niu, Feng, 2016. "Investor sentiment, accounting information and stock price: Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 125-134.
    48. Saqib Sharif & Hamish D. Anderson & Ben R. Marshall & Henk Berkman, 2014. "Against the tide: the commencement of short selling and margin trading in mainland China," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 54(4), pages 1319-1355, December.
    49. Paul Hribar & John McInnis, 2012. "Investor Sentiment and Analysts' Earnings Forecast Errors," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 58(2), pages 293-307, February.
    50. Yuan, Rongli & Sun, Jian & Cao, Feng, 2016. "Directors' and officers' liability insurance and stock price crash risk," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 173-192.
    51. Chan, Kalok & Hameed, Allaudeen, 2006. "Stock price synchronicity and analyst coverage in emerging markets," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(1), pages 115-147, April.
    52. Gur Huberman & Tomer Regev, 2001. "Contagious Speculation and a Cure for Cancer: A Nonevent that Made Stock Prices Soar," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 56(1), pages 387-396, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Dasilas, Apostolos, 2022. "The impact of margin trading and short selling on the investment-to-price sensitivity. Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    2. Wen, Fenghua & Wang, Kangsheng & Zeng, Aiqing, 2024. "Return spillover across the carbon market and financial markets: A quantile-based approach," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    3. Li, Wenhui & Zhu, Qi & Wen, Fenghua & Nor, Normaziah Mohd, 2022. "The evolution of day-of-the-week and the implications in crude oil market," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    4. Zhifeng Liu & Kaixin Li & Tingting Zhang, 2023. "Information diversity and household portfolio diversification," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(4), pages 3833-3845, October.
    5. Ping Lu & Zhihong Li & Jianhui Liu & Yunxuan Wang, 2021. "Do the Securities Analysts Play the Role of Information Competition or Information Supplement? Empirical Analysis Based on Investor Sentiment," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(4), pages 21582440211, December.
    6. Chen, Haozhi & Zhang, Yue, 2023. "Research on the effect of firm-specific investor sentiment on the idiosyncratic volatility anomaly: Evidence from the Chinese market," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    7. Chen, Xinxin & Guo, Yanhong & Song, Yingying, 2024. "Multiple time scales investor sentiment impact the stock market index fluctuation: From margin trading business perspective," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(PA).
    8. Ren, Xiaohang & Wang, Rui & Duan, Kun & Chen, Jinyu, 2022. "Dynamics of the sheltering role of Bitcoin against crude oil market crash with varying severity of the COVID-19: A comparison with gold," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    9. Yang, Baochen & Ye, Tao & Ma, Yao, 2022. "Financing anomaly, mispricing and cross-sectional return predictability," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 579-598.

    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. Wen, Fenghua & Xu, Longhao & Ouyang, Guangda & Kou, Gang, 2019. "Retail investor attention and stock price crash risk: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    2. Li, Zhuo & Wen, Fenghua & Huang, Zhijian James, 2023. "Asymmetric response to earnings news across different sentiment states: The role of cognitive dissonance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    3. Cheng, Feiyang & Wang, Chunfeng & Chiao, Chaoshin & Yao, Shouyu & Fang, Zhenming, 2021. "Retail attention, retail trades, and stock price crash risk," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    4. Cedric Mbanga & Ali F. Darrat & Jung Chul Park, 2019. "Investor sentiment and aggregate stock returns: the role of investor attention," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 53(2), pages 397-428, August.
    5. Ma, Junjun & Xiong, Xiong & Feng, Xu, 2021. "News release and the role of different types of investors," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    6. Li, Yulin, 2021. "Investor sentiment and sovereign bonds," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    7. Cui, Xin & Sensoy, Ahmet & Nguyen, Duc Khuong & Yao, Shouyu & Wu, Yiyao, 2022. "Positive information shocks, investor behavior and stock price crash risk," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 197(C), pages 493-518.
    8. Zhou, Xuemei & Liu, Qiang & Guo, Shuxin, 2021. "Do overnight returns explain firm-specific investor sentiment in China?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 451-477.
    9. Keunbae Ahn, 2021. "Predictable Fluctuations in the Cross-Section and Time-Series of Asset Prices," PhD Thesis, Finance Discipline Group, UTS Business School, University of Technology, Sydney, number 1-2021, January-A.
    10. Narongdech Thakerngkiat & Hung T. Nguyen & Nhut H. Nguyen & Nuttawat Visaltanachoti, 2021. "Do accounting information and market environment matter for cross‐asset predictability?," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(3), pages 4389-4434, September.
    11. Fenghua Wen & Yujie Yuan & Wei‐Xing Zhou, 2021. "Cross‐shareholding networks and stock price synchronicity: Evidence from China," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(1), pages 914-948, January.
    12. Di, Li & Shaiban, Mohammed Sharaf & Hasanov, Akram Shavkatovich, 2021. "The power of investor sentiment in explaining bank stock performance: Listed conventional vs. Islamic banks," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    13. Cheng, Feiyang & Chiao, Chaoshin & Wang, Chunfeng & Fang, Zhenming & Yao, Shouyu, 2021. "Does retail investor attention improve stock liquidity? A dynamic perspective," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 170-183.
    14. Seok, Sang Ik & Cho, Hoon & Ryu, Doojin, 2019. "Firm-specific investor sentiment and the stock market response to earnings news," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 221-240.
    15. Longhao Xu & Zhijian James Huang & Fenghua Wen, 2022. "Comment letters and stock price synchronicity: evidence from China," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 59(4), pages 1387-1421, November.
    16. Szymon Lis, 2022. "Investor Sentiment in Asset Pricing Models: A Review," Working Papers 2022-14, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw.
    17. Lu, Xian-wei & Fung, Hung-Gay & Su, Zhong-qin, 2018. "Information leakage, site visits, and crash risk: Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 487-507.
    18. Yang, Baochen & Ye, Tao & Ma, Yao, 2022. "Financing anomaly, mispricing and cross-sectional return predictability," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 579-598.
    19. Cai, Haidong & Jiang, Ying & Liu, Xiaoquan, 2022. "Investor attention, aggregate limit-hits, and stock returns," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    20. Michael Firth & Kailong (Philip) Wang & Sonia ML Wong, 2015. "Corporate Transparency and the Impact of Investor Sentiment on Stock Prices," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 61(7), pages 1630-1647, July.

    More about this item

    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:wly:ijfiec:v:26:y:2021:i:2:p:2748-2765. 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: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.interscience.wiley.com/jpages/1076-9307/ .

    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.