Nominal Price (Dis)Illusion: Fractional Shares on Neobroker Trading Platforms
Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review
Contributors
Abstract
We investigate the channels through which nominal prices affect neotrading behavior. We hypothesize that free commissions and notification alerts reinforce these effects compared with those documented for regular exchanges. Indeed, by exploiting quasi-natural experiments of stock splits on Robinhood, we find evidence of a stronger response. Surprisingly, the introduction of fractional share trading changed everything. It eliminates the amplified effects, except in the short term. Our findings do not support nominal price illusion, a behavioral explanation for the higher preference for lower nominal prices. Instead, they primarily support the affordability constraint hypothesis. These results indicate a dissolving optimal price range.
Details
Original language | English |
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Number of pages | 20 |
Journal | Journal of Behavioral Finance |
Volume | (2025) |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 17 Feb 2025 |
Peer-reviewed | Yes |
External IDs
Scopus | 85219717391 |
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Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Keywords
- Retail trading, Neobroker, Fractional shares, Stock splits, Nominal price illusion