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Review of Financial Studies Vol. 29 No. 12 2016

Revealing Shorts An Examination of Large Short Position Disclosures

Charles M. Jones1; Adam V. Reed2; William S. Waller3

1 Columbia Business School · 2 Flagler College · 3 Carnegie Mellon University

Abstract

Since 2012, all European Union countries have required disclosure of large short positions. This reduces short interest, bid-ask spreads, and the informativeness of prices. After specific disclosures, short-run abnormal returns are insignificantly negative, but 90-day cumulative abnormal returns are a statistically significant -5.23%. We find disclosures are likely to be followed by other disclosures, especially when the initial discloser is large or centrally located. However, there is no subsequent increase in short interest, and prices do not subsequently reverse. These results indicate that large short sellers are well informed, and that disclosures are not being used to coordinate manipulative attacks.

DOI
10.1093/rfs/hhw064
Volume
29
Issue
12
Pages
3278-3320
Language
en
Sources
crossref openalex

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