We find that investor sentiment should affect a firm's employment policy in a world with moral hazard and noise traders. Consistent with the model's predictions, we show that higher sentiment among US investors leads to: (1) higher employment growth worldwide; (2) lower labor productivity, as the...

The topic of risk incorporates a variety of definitions within different fields such as psychology, sociology, finance, and engineering. In academic finance, the analysis of risk has two major perspectives known as standard (traditional) finance and behavioral finance. The central focus of...

We examine (i) whether the business practices of Berkshire Hathaway investees are consistent with Warren Buffett's public statements on what constitutes good accounting, governance and investing practices and (ii) whether these practices are associated with Berkshire's initial “selection” or...

We structurally estimate a model in which agents' information processing biases can cause predictability in firms' asset returns and investment inefficiencies. We generalize the neoclassical investment model by allowing for two biases -- overconfidence and over-extrapolation of trends -- that...

This is a PDF file of 'Financial Behavior: The Psychology of Client Communications" presented at the Financial Planning Association (FPA) of Greater Indiana Chapter, November 2019 meeting.This presentation focused on how financial experts and their clients exhibit a wide array of behavioral...

Investors are inextricably linked to financial institutions, money managers, and the products they market. Mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), hedge funds, and pension funds manage or hold roughly $55 trillion in combined wealth. This chapter examines these topics with a behavioral...

This chapter discusses personal financial planning, which is an interdisciplinary practice that employs a six-step process to develop integrated strategies for individuals and families to efficiently mobilize their human and financial capital to achieve their life goals. Financial planning draws...

The role of financial decision maker in a household has evolved over time. Decades ago, women held traditional roles of caregiver, housekeeper, and wife. Today, more women are pursuing higher education and female professionals and entrepreneurs are making great strides in business. Women are...

In recent decades, trading has become very popular among retail investors, mainly owing to widespread use of technology and a reduction in transaction costs. However, the growing information available to individuals and the higher complexity of financial markets have led investors to make...

A large body of behavioral finance literature focuses on the behavioral biases of individual investors in their trading choices. The research shows that sophistication is related to the level at which these behavioral biases influence investors' trading choices. This chapter reviews the...