Journal of
Economics and International Finance

  • Abbreviation: J. Econ. Int. Finance
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2006-9812
  • DOI: 10.5897/JEIF
  • Start Year: 2009
  • Published Articles: 362

Review

Dynamics of short selling: An empirical investigation

Kevin M. Zhao* and Ghassem A. Homaifar
Department of Economics and Finance, Jennings Jones College of Business, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN 37129, United States of America.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 16 February 2011
  •  Published: 30 April 2011

Abstract

 

We examine short selling activities on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) from July to October 2007, a period during which the uptick rule was permanently removed by theSecurities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Short sellers have a tendency to increase their trading following negative market returns and positive individual stock returns. Short sellers target stocks with positive returns and timing their trades when the market trends down. The results are robust after accommodating other factors that determine short selling, such as volatility, spreads, and stock turnover. Not all short sellers are capable of predicting future stock returns, only those who trade on private information can. We find that a long/short trading strategy with a holding period of two weeks and based on past abnormal short selling activity generates significant positive returns during the sample period.

 

Key words: Short selling behavior, uptick rule, stock returns.