Cross-Listing, Firm-Specific Information, and Corporate Governance

Download or read book Cross-Listing, Firm-Specific Information, and Corporate Governance written by Shan Li and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 39 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We examine the impact of cross-listing on firm-specific information utilizing the unique features of the Chinese capital markets. By separating the trading activity of domestic Chinese investors from that of foreign non-Chinese investors, we are able to isolate each investor group's relative ability to impound firm-specific information into stock prices. We show that the cross-listed H-shares traded by foreign investors incorporate significantly more firm-specific information than their A-share counterparts traded by domestic Chinese investors. We find a similar pattern between H-shares and A-shares even after a 2007 regulatory change that allowed domestic Chinese investors to trade in the H-share market. This finding suggests that while institutional factors (e.g., stricter listing rules, stronger investor protection) can explain some of the benefits of cross-listing, foreign investors' ability to utilize firm-specific information plays a separate and distinct role in generating cross-listing benefits. The level of information improvement due to foreign investors depends on the quality of the cross-listed firm's corporate governance.