Measuring Bubble Expectations and Investor Confidence

Robert J. Shiller

NBER Working Paper No. 7008
Issued in March 1999
NBER Program(s):   ITI

---- Abstract -----

This paper presents evidence on attitude changes among investors in the US stock market. Two basic attitudes are explored: bubble expectations and investor confidence. Semiannual time-series indicators of these attitudes are presented for US stock market institutional investors based on questionnaire survey results 1989 1998, from surveys that I have derived in collaboration with Fumiko Kon-Ya and Yoshiro Tsutsui. Five different time-series indicators of whether there is among investors an expectation of a speculative bubble, an unstable situation with expectations for increase in the short run only, are produced. Four different time-series indicators of whether there is an expectation of a negative speculative bubble are presented. Four different time-series indicators of investor confidence, that nothing can go wrong, are produced. Time-series variation for these indicators is significant, and cross correlations are generally positive. A bubble expectations index, a negative-bubble expectations index, and an investor confidence index are derived from these indicators. Behavior of the indicators and indexes through time is examined, and the indexes are compared with other economic variables. A notable finding is a degree of high-frequency fluctuation, semester to semester, in the indexes.

Would you like an annual subscription to NBER Working Papers? Click here for more information.

You may purchase this paper on-line in .pdf format from SSRN.com ($5) for electronic delivery.
Information for subscribers and others expecting no-cost downloads

Machine-readable bibliographic record - MARC, RIS, BibTeX

 

 
Publications:
Main Publications Page
 
New This Week
Working Papers
Books              
Books in Progress
Older Books Online
Digest            
Reporter            
Bulletin on Aging & Health
Historical Bulletins
Free Subscriptions
Paid Subscriptions
 
Research:
Program descriptions and members
 
Working Group Descriptions and Papers
 
Selected Projects:
Conference on Research in Income and Wealth
Conference on Econometrics and Mathematical Economics
Sloan Science and Engineering Workforce Project
Boston Census Research Data Center
 
Call for Papers
Submit to WP Series             
 
Data:
NBER Collection
Business Cycle Dates
Latest Business Cycle Memo
New Economic Releases
Selected Sources
Current Population Survey
Economic Organizations
US Government Agencies
Other Data Collections

Economic Report of the President
Economic Indicators
Congressional Budget Office
OECD Frequently Requested Statistics
 
About
What is the NBER?
NBER Historical Archives
Non-data Links    
Search              
Help              
Contact us
Site Map
Employment              
Fellowships
 
People:
Staff
Researchers
Board
Contact Us
Search
 
Search via Google: