Corporate Influence and Political Corruption: Lessons from Stock Market Reactions to Political Events

Stock market reactions to political events demonstrate that the value of some firms is strongly affected by which party controls political power. However, contrary to common perception, event studies do not indicate that the ability to make unlimited political contributions or expenditures enhances a firm's value. Instead, geographic and personal connections to political actors matter more for firms' bottom line, although there is some evidence that personal connections may be rented via professional lobbying.