Analysts and sentiment: A causality study

Guy Kaplanski, Haim Levy*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

We analyze the role that financial analysts play in the sentiment effect on stock prices. Causality analysis reveals that sentiment affects various aspects of analysts’ forecasts and recommendations. We show that experienced analysts are aware of sentiment, consciously incorporate it and have some control over its effect. As a result, the sentiment effect on analysts replicates the sentiment effect expected in stock prices and actual forecast errors are limited to certain cases. Analysts expedite the propagation of sentiment to stock prices and probably enhance the effect by influencing sophisticated investors, but they do not initiate or shape it. The new regulations, “Research Analysts and Research Reports” and “Communications with the Public”, imposed in 2002, have reduced over-optimism due to sentiment.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)315-327
Number of pages13
JournalQuarterly Review of Economics and Finance
Volume63
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Feb 2017

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

Keywords

  • Behavioral finance
  • Financial analysts
  • Investor sentiment
  • Market efficiency

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