Expectation Formation in Financial Markets: Heterogeneity and Sentiment
26 Pages Posted: 27 Nov 2019
Date Written: November 15, 2019
Abstract
We set up an endowment based asset pricing model in which agents have heterogeneous expectations about the future price level. Expectations are a function of fundamentals, trends, and sentiment. Agents are allowed to switch between expectation formation functions based on past performance as well as sentiment. Estimation results on the S&P500 reveal that there is heterogeneity between agents, with substantial switching between groups. We find that sentiment has a direct effect on expectations. Specifically, heterogeneity is increasing in sentiment, and sentiment reduces the frequency of switching between functions
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