Using German and US brokerage data we find that investors are more likely to sell speculative stocks trading at a gain. Investors' gain realizations are monotonically increasing in a stock's speculativeness. This translates into a high disposition effect for speculative and a much lower...

Using German and US brokerage data we find that investors are more likely to sell speculative stocks trading at a gain. Investors' gain realizations are monotonically increasing in a stock's speculativeness. This translates into a high disposition effect for speculative and a much lower...

Does frequent outperformance cause investors to buy? If so, do investors have a preference to outperform most of the time, or does frequent outperformance bias beliefs about the risk and return of an asset? In several randomized experiments, we show that retail investors purchase frequently...

We document a robust dynamic inconsistency in risky choice. Using a unique brokerage dataset and a series of experiments, we compare people's initial risk-taking plans to their subsequent decisions. Across settings, people accept risk as part of a “loss-exit” strategy—planning to continue...

How to invest and decumulate wealth during retirement has far-reaching consequences for consumption during retirement. We conduct an online experiment among 2,500 individuals representative of the adult German population. First, we investigate the choice between phased withdrawal plans with...

How to invest and decumulate wealth during retirement has far-reaching consequences for consumption during retirement. We conduct an online experiment among 2,500 individuals representative of the adult German population. First, we investigate the choice between phased withdrawal plans with...

Using German and US brokerage data we find that investors are more likely to sell speculative stocks trading at a gain. Investors’ gain realizations are monotonically increasing in a stock’s speculativeness. This translates into a high disposition effect for speculative and a much lower...

We experimentally examine the mechanisms underlying peer effects in financial markets. We hypothesize that individuals are not too confident about how to process information regarding financial markets and thus look among their peers for someone who is more capable in processing the information...

Contrary to the current state of research, we find almost complete reinvestment of dividends among the brokerage clients of a German online bank. Yet, investors do not reinvest most dividends immediately after payment. Initially, the bulk of dividends remains parked as cash in investors’...