This study examines whether investor reactions are sensitive to the recent direction and/orvolatility of underlying market movements. We find dividend change announcements elicit agreater change in stock price when the nature of the news (good or bad) goes against the grain ofthe recent market...

We examine whether investor reactions are sensitive to the recent direction or volatility of underlying market movements. We find that dividend-change announcements elicit a greater change in stock price when the nature of the news (good or bad) goes against the grain of the recent market...