The underperformance of high idiosyncratic volatility stocks, as documented by Ang, Hodrick, Ying, and Zhang (2006, JF), is a pure non-January phenomenon. This non-January negative relation between idiosyncratic volatility and stock returns is more pronounced among firms with greater constraints...

This paper examines whether investors exhibit a New Year's gambling preference and whether such preference impacts prices and returns of assets with lottery features. In January, calls options have higher demand than put options, especially by small investors. In addition, relative to...