Herding behavior by socially responsible investors during the COVID-19 pandemic

Manuel Lobato, Javier Rodríguez and Herminio Romero-Perez

Review of Behavioral Finance, 2023, vol. 16, issue 3, 381-393

Abstract: Purpose - This study aims to examine the herding behavior of socially responsible exchange traded funds (SR ETFs) in comparison to conventional ETFs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach - To test for herding behavior, the authors use the cross-sectional absolute deviation and a quadratic market model. Findings - During the pandemic, investments in socially responsible financial products grew rapidly. And investors in the popular SR ETFs herd during this special period, while holders of conventional ETFs did not. Practical implications - Investors in socially responsible investments must do their own research and make their own financial decisions, rather than follow the crowd, especially during extreme events like the COVID-19 pandemic. Originality/value - The evidence shows that, during the pandemic, socially responsible ETFs behaved in line with theoretical predictions of herding, that is, herding is more significant during extreme market conditions.

Keywords: Exchange-traded funds; Socially responsible investments; Herding; COVID-19; G11; G41 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eme:rbfpps:rbf-04-2023-0101

DOI: 10.1108/RBF-04-2023-0101

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