The Only Game in Town: Stock-Price Consequences of Local Bias

51 Pages Posted: 19 Jul 2005

See all articles by Jeffrey D. Kubik

Jeffrey D. Kubik

Syracuse University - Department of Economics

Harrison G. Hong

Columbia University, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Jeremy C. Stein

Harvard University - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: July 2005

Abstract

Theory suggests that, in the presence of local bias, the price of a stock should be decreasing in the ratio of the aggregate book value of firms in its region to the aggregate risk tolerance of investors in its region. We test this proposition using data on U.S. Census regions and states, and find clear-cut support for it. Most of the variation in the ratio of interest comes from differences across regions in aggregate book value per capita. Regions with low population density - e.g., the Deep South - are home to relatively few firms per capita, which leads to higher stock prices via an "only-game-in-town" effect. This effect is especially pronounced for smaller, less visible firms, where the impact of location on stock prices is roughly 12 percent.

Suggested Citation

Kubik, Jeffrey D. and Hong, Harrison G. and Stein, Jeremy C., The Only Game in Town: Stock-Price Consequences of Local Bias (July 2005). Harvard Institute of Economic Research Discussion Paper No. 2077, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=756807 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.756807

Jeffrey D. Kubik

Syracuse University - Department of Economics ( email )

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Harrison G. Hong

Columbia University, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Department of Economics ( email )

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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

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Jeremy C. Stein (Contact Author)

Harvard University - Department of Economics ( email )

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HOME PAGE: http://post.economics.harvard.edu/faculty/stein/stein.html

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

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