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Bubbles in experimental asset markets: Irrational exuberance no more

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  • Lucy F. Ackert
  • Bryan K. Church
  • Richard Deaves

Abstract

The robustness of bubbles and crashes in markets for finitely lived assets is perplexing. This paper reports the results of experimental asset markets in which participants trade two assets. In some markets, price bubbles form. In these markets, traders will pay even higher prices for the asset with lottery characteristics, i.e., a claim on a large, unlikely payoff. However, institutional design has a significant impact on deviations in prices from fundamental values, particularly for an asset with lottery characteristics. Price run-ups and crashes are moderated when traders finance purchases of the assets themselves and are allowed to short sell.

Suggested Citation

  • Lucy F. Ackert & Bryan K. Church & Richard Deaves, 2002. "Bubbles in experimental asset markets: Irrational exuberance no more," FRB Atlanta Working Paper 2002-24, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedawp:2002-24
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Uri Ben-Zion & Ido Erev & Ernan Haruvy & TAL SHAVIT, 2007. "Under-Diversification And The Role Of Best Reply To Pattern," Working Papers 0707, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Department of Economics.
    2. Gerlinde Fellner & Erik Theissen, 2006. "Short Sale Constraints, Divergence of Opinion and Asset Values: Evidence from the Laboratory," Labsi Experimental Economics Laboratory University of Siena 009, University of Siena.
    3. Anna Scherbina & Bernd Schlusche, 2014. "Asset price bubbles: a survey," Quantitative Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(4), pages 589-604, April.
    4. Hauser, Florian & Huber, Jürgen, 2012. "Short-selling constraints as cause for price distortions: An experimental study," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 31(5), pages 1279-1298.
    5. Shahrabani, Shosh & Shavit, Tal & Benzion, Uri, 2008. "Short-selling and the WTA-WTP gap," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 99(1), pages 131-133, April.
    6. Ms. Anna Scherbina, 2013. "Asset Price Bubbles: A Selective Survey," IMF Working Papers 2013/045, International Monetary Fund.
    7. Corgnet, Brice & Deck, Cary & DeSantis, Mark & Porter, David, 2018. "Information (non)aggregation in markets with costly signal acquisition," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 286-320.
    8. Fischbacher, Urs & Hens, Thorsten & Zeisberger, Stefan, 2013. "The impact of monetary policy on stock market bubbles and trading behavior: Evidence from the lab," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 37(10), pages 2104-2122.
    9. Kirchler, Michael, 2009. "Underreaction to fundamental information and asymmetry in mispricing between bullish and bearish markets. An experimental study," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 491-506, February.
    10. Jorgen Vitting Andersen, 2003. "Could short selling make financial markets tumble?," Papers cond-mat/0308548, arXiv.org.
    11. Ernst Fehr & Jean-Robert Tyran, 2005. "Individual Irrationality and Aggregate Outcomes," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 19(4), pages 43-66, Fall.
    12. Fellner, Gerlinde & Theissen, Erik, 2014. "Short sale constraints, divergence of opinion and asset prices: Evidence from the laboratory," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 113-127.

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    Financial markets; Risk;

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