We test whether the impact of financial constraints on firm value is observable in assetquot; returns. We form portfolios of firms based on observable characteristics related to financialquot; constraints, and test for common covariation in the stock returns of these firms. Using severalquot;...

We study whether exchange traded funds (ETFs)--an asset of increasing importance--impact the volatility of their underlying stocks. Using identification strategies based on the mechanical variation in ETF ownership, we present evidence that stocks owned by ETFs exhibit significantly higher...

Large institutional investors own an increasing share of the equity markets in the U.S. The implications of this development for financial markets are still unclear. The paper presents novel empirical evidence that ownership by large institutions predicts higher volatility and greater noise in...