A Study on the Prediction of Stock Return in Korea’s Distribution Industry Using the VKOSPI Index*

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of the VKOSPI index on short-term stock returns after a large-scale stock price shock of individual stocks of firms in the distribution industry in Korea. Research design, data, and methodology: This study investigates the effect of the change of the VKOSPI index or investor mood on abnormal returns after the event date from January 2004 to July 2022. The significance of the abnormal return, which is obtained by subtracting the rate of return estimated by the market model from the rate of actual return on each trading day after the event date, is determined based on T-test and multifactor regression analysis. Results: In Korea’s distribution industry, the simultaneous occurrence of a bad investor mood and a large stock price decline, leads to stock price reversals. Conversely, the simultaneous occurrence of a good investor mood and a large-scale stock price rise leads to stock price drifts. We found that the VKOSPI index has strong explanatory power for these reversals and drifts even after considering both company-specific and event-specific factors. Conclusions: In Korea’s distribution industry-related stock market, investors show an asymmetrical behavioral characteristic of overreacting to negative moods and underreacting to positive moods.