Numerological Superstitions and Market-Wide Herding: Evidence from China

Citation

Cui Y, Gavriilidis K, Gabka B & Kallinterakis V (2024) Numerological Superstitions and Market-Wide Herding: Evidence from China. International Review of Financial Analysis, 93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.irfa.2024.103199

Abstract
We empirically investigate the effect of traditional Chinese numerological superstitions over market-wide herding in the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges for the 2000–2020 period, based on a classification of stocks as lucky/unlucky contingent on the presence of digits deemed numerologically lucky/unlucky in their tickers. We find no compelling evidence that herding is more pronounced in those superstitious stocks, as compared to the rest of the stock market. Both superstitious stock-types herd exclusively on high-volatility days and exhibit some pronounced patterns in up vs down markets; these effects are not significantly different from the behaviour of non-superstitious stocks, however. Similarly, herding in both superstitious stock-types is largely noise-driven, but the same effect is observed for non-superstitious stocks. The similarities in herding between superstitious and non-superstitious stocks suggest that numerological superstitions do not motivate significantly stronger herding in Chinese markets.

Keywords
Superstition; Herding; Noise; Retail investors; China

Journal
International Review of Financial Analysis: Volume 93