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Journal of Financial Economics Vol. 95 No. 2 2010

Sentiment and stock prices: The case of aviation disasters

Guy Kaplanski1; Haim Levy2,3,4

1 Bar-Ilan University · 2 Fordham University · 3 Hebrew University of Jerusalem · 4 College of Law and Business

open access

Abstract

Behavioral economic studies reveal that negative sentiment driven by bad mood and anxiety affects investment decisions and may hence affect asset pricing. In this study we examine the effect of aviation disasters on stock prices. We find evidence of a significant negative event effect with an average market loss of more than 60 billion per aviation disaster, whereas the estimated actual loss is no more than 1 billion. In two days a price reversal occurs. We find the effect to be greater in small and riskier stocks and in firms belonging to less stable industries. This event effect is also accompanied by an increase in the perceived risk: implied volatility increases after aviation disasters without an increase in actual volatility.

DOI
10.1016/j.jfineco.2009.10.002
Volume
95
Issue
2
Pages
174-201
Language
en
Sources
crossref bibtex:phds-export.bib openalex

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