Numerical Superstition and the Return of Initial Public Offerings: Evidence from Hong Kong IPOs

Abstract This study examines the association between the superstitious belief of ‘Lucky Number 8’ and the initial returns of Initial Public Offerings (IPOs). A sample of 136 Hong Kong IPOs during the period of 2004-2006 indicates that the IPOs with multi 8s in their trading codes had statistically...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Gao, Zhenyu
Format: Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)
Language:English
Published: 2011
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/25242/
_version_ 1848792944738304000
author Gao, Zhenyu
author_facet Gao, Zhenyu
author_sort Gao, Zhenyu
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description Abstract This study examines the association between the superstitious belief of ‘Lucky Number 8’ and the initial returns of Initial Public Offerings (IPOs). A sample of 136 Hong Kong IPOs during the period of 2004-2006 indicates that the IPOs with multi 8s in their trading codes had statistically higher returns compared with their peers. The numerical superstition has a significant impact on the performance of IPOs. This study also has new findings in relation to conventional IPOs’ underpricing theories. The measurement of excess demand in retail tranche after ‘claw- back’ is proved to be a better explanatory variable to the IPOs’ underpricing level in the dual-tranche offering mechanism. And the classical signalling effect from secondary offerings is questionable in this study. The findings from this study would be meaningful to the investors and listing firms. Furthermore, the significant effect of superstitious 8 belief also has implications in the behaviour finance theory and Efficient Market Hypothesis
first_indexed 2025-11-14T18:52:27Z
format Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)
id nottingham-25242
institution University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
institution_category Local University
language English
last_indexed 2025-11-14T18:52:27Z
publishDate 2011
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling nottingham-252422018-01-30T16:25:08Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/25242/ Numerical Superstition and the Return of Initial Public Offerings: Evidence from Hong Kong IPOs Gao, Zhenyu Abstract This study examines the association between the superstitious belief of ‘Lucky Number 8’ and the initial returns of Initial Public Offerings (IPOs). A sample of 136 Hong Kong IPOs during the period of 2004-2006 indicates that the IPOs with multi 8s in their trading codes had statistically higher returns compared with their peers. The numerical superstition has a significant impact on the performance of IPOs. This study also has new findings in relation to conventional IPOs’ underpricing theories. The measurement of excess demand in retail tranche after ‘claw- back’ is proved to be a better explanatory variable to the IPOs’ underpricing level in the dual-tranche offering mechanism. And the classical signalling effect from secondary offerings is questionable in this study. The findings from this study would be meaningful to the investors and listing firms. Furthermore, the significant effect of superstitious 8 belief also has implications in the behaviour finance theory and Efficient Market Hypothesis 2011 Dissertation (University of Nottingham only) NonPeerReviewed application/pdf en https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/25242/1/MSc_Dissertation_of_Zhenyu_GAO.pdf Gao, Zhenyu (2011) Numerical Superstition and the Return of Initial Public Offerings: Evidence from Hong Kong IPOs. [Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)] (Unpublished)
spellingShingle Gao, Zhenyu
Numerical Superstition and the Return of Initial Public Offerings: Evidence from Hong Kong IPOs
title Numerical Superstition and the Return of Initial Public Offerings: Evidence from Hong Kong IPOs
title_full Numerical Superstition and the Return of Initial Public Offerings: Evidence from Hong Kong IPOs
title_fullStr Numerical Superstition and the Return of Initial Public Offerings: Evidence from Hong Kong IPOs
title_full_unstemmed Numerical Superstition and the Return of Initial Public Offerings: Evidence from Hong Kong IPOs
title_short Numerical Superstition and the Return of Initial Public Offerings: Evidence from Hong Kong IPOs
title_sort numerical superstition and the return of initial public offerings: evidence from hong kong ipos
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/25242/