Asymmetry in market efficiency across economic states: explanation and implication. (1st January 2012)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hammami, Yacine
• Is Part Of: International journal of behavioural accounting and finance. Volume 3:Number 3/4(2012)
• Page Start: 270
• Page End: 279
• Publication Date: 2012-01-01
• Subjects: efficiency -- overreaction -- investor psychology -- limits of arbitrage; Accounting -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Business enterprises -- Finance -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Investments -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Organizational behavior -- Periodicals; 657.019
• DOI: 10.1504/IJBAF.2012.052190
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1753-1969

Abstract

The empirical financial literature has recently suggested that the US stock market might be efficient in bad times and inefficient in good times. This article explains why some psychological phenomena such as wishful thinking, overconfidence and the house money effect might cause deviations from full rationality principally in good times and not in bad times. Furthermore, this article gives several reasons why the arbitrage process might be effective in bad times and limited in good times. These results are important both for policymakers and for portfolio management.