Open Access
The impact of investor sentiment on stock returns in emerging markets. The case of Central European markets
(Taylor & Francis, 2015) Corredor Casado, María Pilar; Ferrer Zubiate, Elena; Santamaría Aquilué, Rafael; Gestión de Empresas; Enpresen Kudeaketa
This paper studies the effect of investor sentiment on stock returns in three Central European markets: the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland. The results show that sentiment is a key variable in the prices of stocks traded on these markets and its impact is stronger here than in more developed European markets. This effect is linked to stock characteristics, particularly those considered to make stocks more prone to the influences of investor sentiment. The evidence shows that the effect is not uniform across countries, since higher levels are found for Poland and the Czech Republic, thus confirming the role of country-specific factors in the impact of investor sentiment on stock prices. The results also confirm that sentiment is a twofold (global and local) phenomenon, in which the global dimension has much greater impact than the local dimension, at least in the markets considered. Finally, the paper has shown that sentiment does not spread, at least to any significant degree, through the movement of capital between markets. This strengthens the argument that sentiment is transmitted through a behavioral mechanism. If this argument proves correct, there is little likelihood of local regulatory action being very effective in limiting the perverse impact of asset bubbles.
Open Access
Does investor sentiment affect bank stability? International evidence from lending behavior
(Elsevier, 2021) Cubillas, Elena; Ferrer Zubiate, Elena; Suárez Suárez, Nuria; Enpresen Kudeaketa; Institute for Advanced Research in Business and Economics - INARBE; Gestión de Empresas
We study the impact of investor sentiment on bank credit and how changes in lending may affect bank stability. We analyze a sample of 2,673 banks from 127 developed and developing countries during the 1997–2016 period. Our results indicate that periods of high investor sentiment positively affect bank lending and encourage bank risk-taking through the increase in the amount of loans granted which, in fact, reduces bank stability. We find that the impact of investor sentiment on bank stability through changes in growth in bank loans is less negative in countries where creditor rights protection is greater, in terms of both collateral and bankruptcy. During systemic banking crises, the negative effect on bank stability was weaker since any increase in bank credit supply provoked by investor sentiment was counteracted by the crisis.
Open Access
Is cognitive bias really present in analyst forecasts? The role of investor sentiment
(Elsevier, 2014) Corredor Casado, María Pilar; Ferrer Zubiate, Elena; Santamaría Aquilué, Rafael; Gestión de Empresas; Enpresen Kudeaketa
This paper analyses four key markets within the European context. In this context, where the level of analyst coverage is lower than in the US setting, we aim to ascertain whether the origin of optimism in analyst forecasts in these markets is mainly strategic or whether it also contains an element of cognitive bias. Despite the fact that forecast errors lack the explanatory power to account for a significant percentage of the relationship between market sentiment and future stock returns, our new tests based on selection bias (SB1 and SB2), in conjunction with an analysis of abnormal trading volume, confirm the presence of both cognitive bias and strategic behaviour in analyst forecasts. This shows that, although regulation can reduce analyst optimism bias, the benefits are constrained by the fact that optimism bias is partly associated with cognitive bias.
Open Access
El sentimiento del inversor y las rentabilidades de las acciones. El caso español
(AECA, 2013) Corredor Casado, María Pilar; Ferrer Zubiate, Elena; Santamaría Aquilué, Rafael; Gestión de Empresas; Enpresen Kudeaketa
El presente trabajo analiza el efecto del sentimiento en las rentabilidades de los activos del mercado español. Los resultados muestran un efecto significativo del índice de sentimiento local sobre las rentabilidades de los activos del propio mercado, tanto sobre el mercado en su conjunto como en carteras de activos más sensibles por su dificultad de valoración o de arbitraje. También se ha mostrado la existencia de un efecto del sentimiento en dos esferas diferentes, una de ámbito más global y otra de ámbito local independiente de la anterior, probablemente ligada a aspectos institucionales o culturales del mercado. Si bien el primero causa al segundo, no se encuentra evidencia de que el mecanismo de transmisión esté relacionado con la actividad real asociada con los flujos de capitales entre mercados. El análisis del efecto del sentimiento durante la última crisis financiera robustece los resultados. No obstante, el sentimiento global absorbe todo el efecto del sentimiento local lo que deja intuir el carácter global de la crisis actual.
Open Access
The role of sentiment and stock characteristics in the translation of analysts’ forecasts into recommendations
(Elsevier, 2019) Corredor Casado, María Pilar; Ferrer Zubiate, Elena; Santamaría Aquilué, Rafael; Enpresen Kudeaketa; Institute for Advanced Research in Business and Economics - INARBE; Gestión de Empresas
The purpose of this paper is to further understanding of the determinants of analysts’ translational effectiveness and, specifically, the role of stock characteristics in the impact of sentiment in the translation of analysts’ forecasts into recommendations. We construct a proxy of intrinsic value of a stock based on that of Ohlson (1995), which incorporates all the information contained in the analysts’ earnings forecasts. Our results show that, although analysts do translate their earnings forecast valuations into recommendations, the effectiveness of this process is reduced by investor sentiment only in highly sentiment-sensitive stocks. This suggests the degree of analyst coverage as a potential conditioner of the observable results in a market. While not totally eliminating this observed effect, the Market Abuse Directive regulation does contribute to reduce the skew between analysts’ earnings forecasts and their recommendations. Finally, analysis of this effect reveals that this kind of skew enables investment strategies yielding positive risk-adjusted returns in highly sentiment-sensitive stocks, during periods of high market sentiment.
Open Access
Consumer confidence indices and stock markets' meltdowns
(Routledge, 2016) Ferrer Zubiate, Elena; Salaber, Julie; Zalewska, Anna; Gestión de Empresas; Enpresen Kudeaketa
Consumer confidence indices (CCIs) are a closely monitored barometer of countries' economic health, and an informative forecasting tool. Using European and US data, we provide a case study of the two recent stock market meltdowns (the post-dotcom bubble correction of 2000-2002 and the 2007-2009 decline at the beginning of the financial crisis) to contribute to the discussion on their appropriateness as proxies for stock markets' investor sentiment. Investor sentiment should positively covary with stock market movements (DeLong et al., 1990), however, we find that the CCI-stock market relationship is not universally positive. We also do not find support for the information effect documented in previous literature, but identify a more subtle relationship between consumer expectations about future household finances and stock market fluctuations.
Open Access
Enhancing learning in the finance classroom
(Universidad Politécnica de Valencia., 2022) Abinzano Guillén, María Isabel; Corredor Casado, María Pilar; Río Solano, María Cristina del; Ferrer Zubiate, Elena; González Urteaga, Ana; Mansilla Fernández, José Manuel; Martínez García, Beatriz; Muga Caperos, Luis Fernando; Gestión de Empresas; Enpresen Kudeaketa
This paper aims to describe a teaching-learning experience based on ProjectBased Learning (PBL). This experience is part of an educational innovation project devoted to transforming finance classes in various facets of financial advice. Specifically, the article focuses on the transformation process of a subject that studies financial markets and the assets traded in them. Based on this experience, the classroom becomes a financial consulting firm that advises investors on how to invest their capital. The results show us a remarkable active dedication of the students to the course, improved knowledge, and marks. In addition, the development of skills and values such as teamwork, autonomy, solidarity, equality, and professional skills are elements that encourage us to continue along this line.
Open Access
Analysis of the feasibility of investment projects in real assets with PBL: a very real experience
(Universitat Politècnica de València, 2023) Abinzano Guillén, María Isabel; Bonilla Acosta, Harold; Corredor Casado, María Pilar; Río Solano, María Cristina del; Ferrer Zubiate, Elena; González Urteaga, Ana; Mansilla Fernández, José Manuel; Martínez García, Beatriz; Muga Caperos, Luis Fernando; Gestión de Empresas; Enpresen Kudeaketa
This paper studies the application of the PBL methodology in the Corporate Finance I course. The project to be carried out consists of the realization of a report on the feasibility of an investment project for a company that wants to take advantage of a subvention to finance the renovation of the bus fleet towards a more sustainable one. In addition to describing the implementation, this paper analyzes the impact that the introduction of the PBL methodology has in terms of class attendance and participation in the activity and also in the rest of the course. A clear decrease in absenteeism in class and in exams is observed. Moreover, the impact on grades is analyzed, with a significant increase in marks for all the degrees under study. Finally, we interpret the surveys that were passed to the students, showing that the students recognize the value of applying PBL in the subject.
Open Access
Sustainability disclosure and financial analysts' accuracy: the European case
(Wiley, 2020) Ferrer Zubiate, Elena; López Arceiz, Francisco José; Río Solano, María Cristina del; Institute for Advanced Research in Business and Economics - INARBE
This study aims to analyze whether the adoption of Directive 2014/95/EU on sustainability disclosure has contributed to more truthful reporting to financial analysts in terms of risks and firms' performance. Financial analysts, as requesters of sustainability reports, are expected to have produced more accurate forecasts as a result of this legal reform. To investigate this, we have examined analysts' earnings per share (EPS) forecasts for 434 companies, 241 of which are classified as low sustainability companies, from 2008 to 2017. To detect a possible increase in EPS forecast accuracy after the enforcement of the directive, we perform an analysis based on panel regression specifications. The results show that EPS forecast accuracy has increased due to the higher levels of both sustainability disclosure and reporting quality after the enforcement of Directive 2014/95/EU.
Open Access
Does analyst information influence the cost of debt? Some international evidence
(Elsevier, 2019) Ferrer Zubiate, Elena; Santamaría Aquilué, Rafael; Suárez Suárez, Nuria; Enpresen Kudeaketa; Institute for Advanced Research in Business and Economics - INARBE; Gestión de Empresas
We examine the contribution of analyst forecasting accuracy in reducing the average total cost of debt to firms. Our results reinforce the importance of analyst accuracy as a mechanism for reducing information asymmetries in the market, which is important to increase firms' access to available investment funding. A significant level of institutional and bank-held ownership serves as a substitution mechanism which mitigates the capacity of analyst accuracy to reduce information risk. External governance mechanisms also moderate the role played by analyst accuracy in the reduction of the cost of corporate debt. Our empirical findings are robust to different model specifications including the potential effect of the legal origin, to the consideration of an alternative proxy for the total cost of debt, to the inclusion of additional analyst-characteristics and stock-level characteristics.