We propose a risk-based firm-type explanation on why stocks of firms with high relative short interest (RSI) have lower future returns. We argue that these firms have negative alphas because they are a hedge against expected aggregate volatility risk. Consistent with this argument, we show that...

The paper shows that new issues earn low expected returns because they are a hedge against increases in expected aggregate volatility. Consistent with that, the ICAPM with the aggregate volatility risk factor can explain the new issues puzzle, as well as the small growth anomaly and the...