CONTENTS
PREFACE .................................................................................................... I
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ..............................................................1
1.1 Background .................................................................. 3
1.2 Motivation of Study and Research Questions ..............4
1.3 Methodology and Approach ........................................ 8
1.4 Overview of Main Results ........................................... 9
1.5 Contributions of Study ...............................................10
1.6 Structure of Study ......................................................12
CHAPTER 2 OVERVIEW OF SHORT SELLING .................................13
2.1 Introduction ...............................................................15
2.2 Short Selling History ..................................................15
2.3 Definition, Types, Practices and Risks of Short Selling...16
2.3.1 Definition ..............................................................16
2.3.2 Types .....................................................................17
2.3.3 Practice ..................................................................18
2.3.4 Risks ......................................................................18
2.4 Positive Arguments for Short Selling .........................19
2.4.1 Market Efficiency ..................................................19
2.4.2 Revenue Enhancement ..........................................20
2.4.3 Merger Arbitrage ...................................................20
2.4.4 Convertible Arbitrage ...........................................21
2.4.5 Pairs Trading .........................................................21
2.4.6 Hedging .................................................................22
2.5 Negative Arguments for Short Selling .......................22
2.6 Short Selling Bans in Global Markets ........................24
2.6.1 Short Selling in Europe .........................................24
2.6.2 Short Selling in North America ............................27
2.6.3 Short Selling in Asia ..............................................29
2.6.4 Short Selling in the UK ........................................30
2.6.5 Short Selling in Australia ......................................32
2.7 Summary.....................................................................33
CHAPTER 3 LITERATURE REVIEW....................................................35
3.1 Introduction ...............................................................37
3.2 Why Is Short Selling Banned? ....................................37
3.2.1 Effects on Stock Prices ..........................................38
3.2.2 To Calm the Market .............................................42
3.2.3 Market Volatility and Instability ..........................43
3.2.4 Market Abuse, Manipulation and “Rumourtrage” ....45
3.2.5 Increases in Loss ....................................................47
3.3 Empirical Evidence of the Impact of Short Selling Bans on Stock Performance ........................................................48
3.3.1 Stock Abnormal Return and Volatility ................48
3.3.2 Pricing ...................................................................51
3.3.3 Bid-Ask Spread ......................................................52
3.3.4 Trading Volume and Turnover .............................54
3.3.5 Costs of Short Selling and Restrictions ................56
3.4 Conclusion ..................................................................60
CHAPTER 4 METHODOLOGY ............................................................63
4.1 Introduction ...............................................................65
4.2 Data Preparation ........................................................65
4.3 Measures .....................................................................68
4.3.1 Abnormal Return..................................................68
4.3.2 Volatility ...............................................................70
4.3.3 Spread ....................................................................71
4.3.4 Volume ..................................................................71
4.4 Testing and Regression Techniques ...........................72
4.5 Conclusion ..................................................................75
CHAPTER 5 EMPIRICAL RESULTS .....................................................77
5.1 Introduction ...............................................................79
5.2 Results Summary ........................................................79
5.3 Abnormal Return .......................................................82
5.4 Volatility .....................................................................91
5.5 Spread .........................................................................98
5.6 Volume .....................................................................103
5.7 Conclusion ................................................................112
CHAPTER 6 CONCLUSIONS ............................................................. 113
6.1 Introduction .............................................................115
6.2 Findings ....................................................................116
6.2.1 Hypothesis 1: Banned stocks have greater abnormal return when short selling bans are imposed ..................116
6.2.2 Hypothesis 2: Volatility in banned stocks decreases when short selling bans are imposed ..............................117
6.2.3
Hypothesis 3a: Banned stocks have wider spread while bans are imposed .................................................118
Hypothesis 3b: Banned stocks have fewer trading activities after short selling bans are introduced ......118
6.2.4 Hypothesis 4: There is no significant difference in the performance of banking stocks between Western markets and Asian markets due to short selling bans .................119
6.3 Summary of Contributions .......................................119
6.4 Future Research ........................................................122
6.5 Closing Comments ...................................................123
Bibliography ........................................................................................... 124
TABLES ......................................................................................................VI
FIGURES ..................................................................................................VII
APPENDIX A TABLES 4, 5, 6 AND 7 ................................................... 136
APPENDIX B FIGURES 2, 3 AND 4 .................................................... 154
TABLES AND FIGURES