Penny wise and pound foolish: capital gains tax and trading volume on the Zagreb Stock Exchange

This paper analyses the effects of a recently introduced capital gains tax on the trading volume on the Zagreb Stock Exchange. Using three different methodological approaches - event study methodology, regression discontinuity design and panel regressions - we offer evidence that the introduction of...

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Main Authors: Tomislav Globan, Tihana Skrinjaric
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Institute of Public Finance 2020-09-01
Series:Public Sector Economics
Subjects:
Online Access: http://www.pse-journal.hr/upload/files/pse/2020/3/globan_skrinjaric.pdf
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author Tomislav Globan
Tihana Skrinjaric
author_facet Tomislav Globan
Tihana Skrinjaric
author_sort Tomislav Globan
collection DOAJ
description This paper analyses the effects of a recently introduced capital gains tax on the trading volume on the Zagreb Stock Exchange. Using three different methodological approaches - event study methodology, regression discontinuity design and panel regressions - we offer evidence that the introduction of the capital gains tax in January 2016 created abnormally high trading volume patterns shortly before the tax came into force and abnormally low volume patterns after the fact, further decreasing the liquidity of an already poorly liquid market. The negative effects are significant in both the short and the longer term, as our difference-in-differences estimations suggest that the average trading volume in the three post-tax years decreased by 23% vis-à-vis the pre-tax period. Given that the revenues collected from this tax are almost negligible, but create considerable negative externalities, our main policy recommendation for countries with underdeveloped and not very liquid stock markets is to use less restrictive tax policies to encourage investment and attract as many new investors as possible.
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spelling doaj.art-f824cec2bcdb479690e82e64e093c4052022-12-22T03:39:42ZengInstitute of Public FinancePublic Sector Economics2459-88602020-09-0144329932910.3326/pse.44.3.25878Penny wise and pound foolish: capital gains tax and trading volume on the Zagreb Stock ExchangeTomislav Globan0Tihana Skrinjaric1 Faculty of Economics & Business, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia Faculty of Economics & Business, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia This paper analyses the effects of a recently introduced capital gains tax on the trading volume on the Zagreb Stock Exchange. Using three different methodological approaches - event study methodology, regression discontinuity design and panel regressions - we offer evidence that the introduction of the capital gains tax in January 2016 created abnormally high trading volume patterns shortly before the tax came into force and abnormally low volume patterns after the fact, further decreasing the liquidity of an already poorly liquid market. The negative effects are significant in both the short and the longer term, as our difference-in-differences estimations suggest that the average trading volume in the three post-tax years decreased by 23% vis-à-vis the pre-tax period. Given that the revenues collected from this tax are almost negligible, but create considerable negative externalities, our main policy recommendation for countries with underdeveloped and not very liquid stock markets is to use less restrictive tax policies to encourage investment and attract as many new investors as possible. http://www.pse-journal.hr/upload/files/pse/2020/3/globan_skrinjaric.pdf capital gains tax; event study; regression discontinuity; stock market; trading volume
spellingShingle Tomislav Globan
Tihana Skrinjaric
Penny wise and pound foolish: capital gains tax and trading volume on the Zagreb Stock Exchange
Public Sector Economics
capital gains tax; event study; regression discontinuity; stock market; trading volume
title Penny wise and pound foolish: capital gains tax and trading volume on the Zagreb Stock Exchange
title_full Penny wise and pound foolish: capital gains tax and trading volume on the Zagreb Stock Exchange
title_fullStr Penny wise and pound foolish: capital gains tax and trading volume on the Zagreb Stock Exchange
title_full_unstemmed Penny wise and pound foolish: capital gains tax and trading volume on the Zagreb Stock Exchange
title_short Penny wise and pound foolish: capital gains tax and trading volume on the Zagreb Stock Exchange
title_sort penny wise and pound foolish capital gains tax and trading volume on the zagreb stock exchange
topic capital gains tax; event study; regression discontinuity; stock market; trading volume
url http://www.pse-journal.hr/upload/files/pse/2020/3/globan_skrinjaric.pdf
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