Research Article

Return Anomalies Under Constraint: Evidence from an Emerging Market

Authors

  • Saeid Mashhadi Department of Finance, LeBow College of Business, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
  • Soroush Mojtahedi Department of Finance, Jindal School of Management, The University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
  • Mostafa Kanaanitorshizi Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA

Abstract

This study examines the presence of the MAX effect in the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE) in Iran, an emerging market with unique regulations. The MAX effect, typically observed in developed markets, describes the inverse relationship between a stock's maximum daily return in a month and its subsequent performance. Using univariate, bivariate, time-series, and panel regression models, this research finds no significant evidence of the MAX effect in the TSE, even when controlling for market size, book-to-market ratio, momentum, liquidity, and market risk. The absence of the MAX effect is attributed to the TSE's regulatory environment, including price limits and restrictions on short-selling, which hinder arbitrage and reduce mispricing opportunities. These findings highlight the challenges of applying asset pricing models from developed markets to emerging ones and suggest further research into the role of regulatory frameworks, market efficiency, and investor behavior in shaping asset pricing anomalies in emerging markets.

Article information

Journal

Journal of Economics, Finance and Accounting Studies

Volume (Issue)

7 (4)

Pages

166-184

Published

2025-08-03

How to Cite

Saeid Mashhadi, Soroush Mojtahedi, & Mostafa Kanaanitorshizi. (2025). Return Anomalies Under Constraint: Evidence from an Emerging Market . Journal of Economics, Finance and Accounting Studies , 7(4), 166-184. https://doi.org/10.32996/jefas.2025.7.4.13

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Keywords:

Return Anomalies, Emerging Markets, MAX Effect, Cross-sectional Stock Returns, Lottery-like Payoffs