Journal of Corporate Finance Vol. 13 No. 5 2007
Are performance based arbitrage effects detectable? Evidence from merger arbitrage
Abstract
This paper examines the predictions of the performance based arbitrage hypothesis for the merger arbitrage market. Performance based arbitrage [Shleifer, A., Vishny, R.W., 1997. The limits of arbitrage. Journal of Finance, 52 (1), 35–55] is the notion that funds under management are withdrawn from arbitrageurs following trading losses, resulting in inefficient prices for securities subject to arbitrage trades. I examine general comovement in merger arbitrage spreads and the response of spreads to large arbitrage losses and substantial changes in deal flow. I find little evidence that merger arbitrage spreads exhibit systematic comovement or are substantially affected by important liquidity events in this market.
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2007.02.006
- Volume
- 13
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 793-812
- Language
- en
- Sources
- bibtex:phds-export.bib openalex crossref