[pt] Este artigo investiga a natureza das assimetrias de informação no mercado brasileiro de empréstimos consignados de 2013 a 2021. Desenvolvemos um modelo de demanda que leva em consideração o efeito da informação privada dos consumidores nas decisões de empréstimo. A novidade do modelo é sua capacidade de extrair informações sobre características não observáveis usando dados públicos a nível dos bancos. Empiricamente, utilizamos a variação das participações de mercado e das taxas de inadimplência dos bancos para estimar um parâmetro de utilidade que representa o sinal de seleção no mercado. Nossa análise revela evidências empíricas de seleção vantajosa dentro do mercado, indicando que os tomadores de empréstimos mais seguros estão mais inclinados a solicitar empréstimos. Além disso, expandimos o modelo para incorporar um parâmetro distinto para a Caixa Econômica, um banco estatal que exibiu comportamento diferente em comparação com outras instituições financeiras durante o mesmo período. Nossa análise revela um parâmetro de seleção significativamente menor em magnitude para a Caixa. / [en] This paper investigates the nature of information asymmetries in the Brazilian payroll loan market from 2013 to 2021. We develop a demand model that accounts for the effect of consumers private information on borrowing decisions. The novelty of the model is its ability to extract information on unobservable characteristics using publicly available firm-level data. Empirically, we use the variation of market shares and default rates within banks to estimate a utility parameter that represents the sign of selection in the market. Our analysis reveals empirical evidence of advantageous selection within the market, indicating that safer borrowers are more inclined to apply for loans. Additionally, we expand the model to incorporate a distinct parameter for Caixa Econômica, a state-owned bank that exhibited different behavior compared to other financial institutions during the same period. Our analysis reveals a significantly lower selection parameter in magnitude for Caixa.

Trust is essential for individuals. We want others to keep their promises and meet our expectations (Dan der Cruijsen et al., 2020, p.680-681). This also applies to banks. For many individuals, trusting their bank is essential to ensure financial security. The interest rate increases between 2022 and 2023, and the increased bank profits, as a result, caught the attention of many individuals. Could two events like these possibly disrupt individuals' trust toward banks? As a result of the high inflation in Sweden in recent years, interest rates increased significantly between 2022 and 2023 which shocked many individuals. Furthermore, banks' profits increased because of the increased interest rates. While banks are profit-making companies, they need to be cautious not to lose the trust of their customers.  This study is based on theories fundamental to answering the study's research questions and purpose. The purpose is to provide an understanding of the factors that affect individuals trust toward their main bank. In addition, the study analyzes factors that may influence the disruption of trust toward banks. The focus will be on whether the interest rate increases and banks' increased profits between 2022 and 2023 have disrupted individuals' trust. The theories used to respond to the purpose are the anchoring effect, point of reference, financial literacy, asymmetric information, and overconfidence.  A quantitative method was adapted for this study to collect data through a questionnaire. By building the questionnaire on appropriate theories, we could examine how our results were consistent with previous research. Later, a linear regression analysis was conducted in Stata based on our collected data. Correlation, multicollinearity, and heteroscedasticity were tested to obtain proper values.  The results from this study show several factors that affect individuals' trust toward banks. Also, it indicates that the sudden interest rate increases and the increased bank profits between 2022 and 2023 disrupt individuals' trust toward banks. Some factors that affect the level of trust are whether the individual has experience of incorrect financial advice, lives in a small city, and feels that they do not receive enough information from the bank. These factors can be linked to previous research on asymmetric information. Other factors that affect trust are how easily individuals generally trust other people and whether individuals visit a bank office for banking affairs. These factors can be linked to previous research on point of reference. Furthermore, individuals having an elementary school degree as the highest education level and unemployed individuals are factors affecting trust that can be linked to financial literacy. These mentioned factors are only a few, the remaining ones are to be found in the result.  This study provides a better insight into trust and trust disruption because of the two events, increased interest rates, and increased bank profits. The results are beneficial both for individuals and banks.

Titel: Finansiella målsättningar inom årsredovisningar – En kvantitativ studie av svenska börsbolag Nivå: C-uppsats i ämnet företagsekonomi Författare: Andreas Hamrén och Nils Ryngmark Handledare: Arne Fagerström Datum: 2016 – januari Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att beskriva och jämföra skillnader angående finansiella målsättningar i årsredovisningar samt hur förutbestämda faktorer påverkar dessa skillnader.   Metod: Studien har en kvantitativ metod som utgår från en deduktiv ansats. Insamlingen av data har skett från årsredovisningar, som sedan ställts mot tidigare forskning och teorier. Dokumenten har granskats med en innehållsanalys för att sedan undersökas genom korrelationsanalyser som presenteras tillsammans med resultatet. De oberoende variablerna som studien utgått ifrån är bransch, storlek, antal styrelseledamöter, lönsamhet och skuldsättningsgrad. Resultat och slutsats: Studiens resultat tydliggör flertalet skillnader och likheter gällande finansiella målsättningar. De slutsatser som dras utifrån de statistiska testerna är att storlek och skuldsättningsgrad hade signifikanta samband med antalet finansiella målsättningar. Styrelseledamöter visade ett svagare samband, medan lönsamhet inte hade någon korrelation. Den deskriptiva variabeln bransch åskådliggjorde stora skillnader mellan segmenten och gav en bild av tillhörighetens betydelse för differensen. Uppsatsen bidrag: Det praktiska bidraget ger en bild över förekomsten av finansiella målsättningar på Stockholmsbörsen samt vilka typer av mål som är vanligast förekommande. Bidraget kan ge ett förslag till nynoterade bolag i uppbyggnadsfasen angående i vilken utsträckning marknaden presenterar målsättningar. Det teoretiska bidraget kan stärka intressent- och signaleringsteorins betydelse gällande frekvensen av målsättningar. Förslag till fortsatt forskning: Förslag till vidare forskning är att komplimentera studien med intervjuer, detta för att få en uppfattning av de bakomliggande faktorerna till utformandet av målsättningarna. Ett ytterligare förslag är att inkludera exempelvis den danska börsen som är liknande den svenska för att finna avvikelser mellan företagskulturerna. Nyckelord: Finansiella målsättningar, frivillig information, framåtblickande information, årsredovisningar, asymmetrisk information, intressentteorin, signaleringsteorin / Title: Financial targets in annual reports – a quantitative study of swedish listed companies Level: Final assignment for Bachelor Degree in Business Administration Author: Andreas Hamrén and Nils Ryngmark Supervisor: Arne Fagerström Date: 2016 - January Aim: The purpose of this study is to describe and compare differences regarding the financial objectives in the annual reports and how predetermined factors influence the differences. Method: This study has a quantitative method based on a deductive approach. Data have been collected from annual reports, which are then set against previous research and theories. The documents were reviewed by a content analysis then examined by correlation analysis and presented along with the results. The independent variables of the study were industry, company size, number of board members, profitability and debt ratio. Result and conclusion: The result of the study make clear majority of the differences and similarities regarding financial objectives. The conclusions drawn on the basis of the statistical tests are that the size and debt ratio have a significant correlation with the number of financial objectives. Board members showed a weaker correlation, while profitability had no correlation at all. The descriptive variable industry illustrated the large differences between the segments and gave a picture of the importance of industry affiliation. Contribution of the thesis: The practical contribution illustrates the occurrence of financial targets on the Stockholm Stock Exchange and the types of goals that are most common. The contribution may give proposals to new listed companies in the construction phase regarding the extent to which the market presents the objectives. The theoretical contribution can give strength to the importance of stakeholder and signaling theory regarding the frequency of objectives. Suggestions for future research: Suggestions for further research is to implement studies with interviews, in order to gain an understanding of the underlying incentives of the financial objectives. A further proposal is to include, for example, the Danish stock exchange that is similar to the Swedish in order to find similarities and differences between corporate cultures. Key words: Financial objectives, goals, voluntary information, forward-looking information, annual reports, asymmetric information, stakeholder theory, signaling theory

Dominant market theories analyze markets as ahistorical entities without the need for professional groups that manage crucial functions within them. This thesis, in contrast, approaches markets as historical systems that develop over time and that can be constituted in many different ways because of different historical trajectories. Different professional groups managing market routines, further, are seen as a crucial part of markets. Two concepts are introduced: “market architecture”, the specific way a market is constituted at a given time; and “market technocrats”, the seemingly disinterested third party functionaries that manage routines in markets and advocate changes in market architecture. The thesis argues that market technocrats exist because of uncertainty and lack of trust between market actors, and that they are an important part of how market architectures develop over time. It presents an analytical framework for understanding market technocrats and how they interact with and develop markets. Four different aspects of market technocrats are explored: the process of establishing market technocrats in market routines; the capture of the authority of market technocrats by other market actors; the expansionistic behavior of market technocrats; and the way changes in economic theory, as an important part of how economists with technocratic authority advocate market change, can help to explain changes in markets. These aspects are explored through four empirical papers: The Market Technocracy of Import Substitution: The Role of Asymmetric Information and The Swedish Seed Association 1880–1935; Limits of Market Technocracy: Swedish Fertilizer Research and the Crisis of Objectivity 1945–1960; Central Banks, and the Pursuit of Influence, Prestige, and Legitimacy: The Creation of the Nobel Memorial Prize; and From Market Engineering to Institutional Engineering: Reform Economics in Sweden 1950–2000. The results of the papers form the basis of a hypothetical narrative of how the role of market technocrats has changed during the 20th century. This provides a roadmap for further research in the development of markets and the role of market technocrats.

Inledning: Modigliani och Miller-teoremet betraktas som en milstolpe och ett paradigmskifte inom Corporate Finance. Forskningen bakom teoremet har gett upphov till den kontroversiella slutsatsen att ett företags kapitalstruktur är irrelevant på en jämviktsmarknad, utan beskattning. När beskattning däremot förekommer, ökar företagsvärdet motsvarande den avdragsgilla skatten på räntekostnader vid belåning. Teoremet har dock inte varit utan kritik. Flera forskare har undersökt teoremet och kritiserat teoremets antaganden. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att undersöka Modigliani och Miller-teoremet i avseende av kapitalstrukturens inverkan på företags aktiekurser. Tidigare forskning: Modigliani och Miller-teoremet med dess antaganden presenteras inledningsvis som studiens grundläggande teori. Därefter presenteras agentteorin, signaleringsteorin, trade-off-teori och effektiva marknadshypotesen tillsammans med tidigare forskningsstudier om teoremet och antagandena. Metod: Studien tillämpar en kvantitativ metod, med tre regressionsmodeller. Det slumpmässiga urvalet består av tio företag inom industribranschen som är registrerade på Stockholmsbörsen. Urvalet består av paneldata från företagen under perioden 2005 till 2012. Studiens empiri består av historiska aktiekurser och årsredovisningar. Resultat: Skuldsättningsgraden visar en låg och icke signifikant korrelation med aktiekurserna för de undersökta företagen, i samtliga tre regressionsmodeller. Skatteskölden visar en högre och signifikant korrelation med aktiekursen, medan kontrollvariabeln vinst per aktie EPS visar den högsta korrelationen med aktiekursen, som responsvariabel. Slutsats: Studiens resultat visar inget empiriskt stöd för Modigliani och Miller-teoremet i dess helhet. Förklaringen till resultaten kan vara att antagandena inte tillfredsställs inom empirin. Agentteori, signaleringsteori, trade-off-teori och effektiva marknadshypotesen kan stå som förklaringar till studiens resultat. / Introduction: Modigliani and Miller theorem is regarded as a milestone and a paradigm shift in Corporate Finance. The research behind the theorem has given rise to the controversial conclusion that a company's capital structure is irrelevant in an equilibrium market, without taxation. In contrast, when taxation occurs firm value will increase equivalent to the deductible tax on interest expense when debt is issued. The theorem has not been without criticism. Several researchers have examined the theorem and criticised its assumptions. Purpose: The purpose of the study is to investigate the Modigliani and Miller theorem in respect of capital structure’s impact on companies' share prices. Literature Review: The Modigliani and Miller theorem with its assumptions is initially presented as the study’s main theorem. The presentation of the theorem is followed by a description of agency theory, signalling theory, trade-off theory and the efficient market hypothesis, along with previous studies on the theorem and its assumptions. Research Methodology: The study applies a quantitative approach, with three regression models. The random sample consists of ten companies in the industrial sector, that are listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. The sample is based on panel data of the companies during the period 2005 to 2012. The study's empirical data consists of historical stock prices and annual reports. Empirical Results: The leverage ratio, i.e. debt to equity ratio, indicates a low and non-signif-icant correlation with the stock prices of the examined companies, in all three regression models. The tax shield indicates a higher and significant correlation with the stock price, while the control variable earnings per share EPS indicates the highest correlation with the stock prices, as the response variable. Conclusions: The study’s results show no empirical support for the Modigliani-Miller theorem in its entirety. The explanation for the findings may be that the assumptions are not satisfied in the empirical data. Agency theory, signalling theory, trade-off theory and the efficient market hypothesis may serve as explanations of the study’s results.

i Abstract This Master Thesis is focused on under-pricing of initial public offering. We examine the possibility of signaling by IPO under-pricing on Polish data over the period 2005 - 2010. Signaling by IPO under-pricing is analyzed using signaling model. Taking into consideration the uniqueness of Polish sample, we also analyze the signaling by IPO under- pricing used to the build up the government reputation as market-oriented. Our results suggest the statistical significant positive effect of IPO under-pricing on probability of seasoned equity issue as well as on size of seasoned issue. These findings together with negative relation between IPO under-pricing and lag between IPO and seasoned issue are consistent with predictions of signaling model. We do not find any statistical significant evidence that the Polish government tries to build up reputation for its privatization policy over time by under-pricing and selling a high fraction at the initial offer. Keywords IPO under-pricing, signaling hypothesis, Central Europe, asymmetric information, seasoned equity offering, privatization

[pt] Conhecer o perfil da população brasileira que possui planos privados de saúde é fundamental para orientar as políticas da Agência Nacional de Saúde (ANS) e a linha de ação das seguradoras e operadoras de saúde. A proposta deste projeto é de fazê-lo sob a ótica do mercado de trabalho, levando em consideração a morbidade auto-referida dos indivíduos, e controlando também pelas variáveis demográficas e sócio-econômicas. Para tanto, primeiramente, realizou-se um estudo exploratório relacionando a posse de planos de saúde com estas variáveis. Depois disso, ajustamos modelos logísticos de regressão para explicar as morbidades auto referidas a partir da situação do indivíduo no mercado de trabalho, controlando pelas variáveis demográficas. A mesma classe de modelos foi utilizada como ferramenta para investigar o fenômeno conhecido como Assimetria de Informação na contratação de planos privados de saúde. Os resultados concentram os casos de assimetria de informação em algumas doenças. Pudemos identificar também grupos de trabalhadores com alta propensão a determinadas doenças em determinadas grandes regiões do país. / [en] Knowing about the profile of the Brazilian population covered by private health plans is very important to guide the National Health Agency policies, the health insurance companies` action strategies in many ways and how the many agents involved should stand toward this process. Our purpose is to do this in the light of the work market situation, taking into account his/her self-reported morbidity, controlling for the demographical and social-economical variables. We start by presenting an exploratory study linking health plan owning with these variables. We then make use of logistic regression models, which have been adjusted to explain de self-reported morbidity according to the individual`s position in the job market, controlling for the demographical variables. The same class of model has also been used as a tool to investigate the existence of Information Asymmetry in this type of contract. Our results show that information asymmetry cases are concentrated in some diseases. We could also find some worker groups very likely to being ill from specific diseases in some specific regions of the country.

Reglering av insiderhandel är ett omdebatterat ämne som ofta leder till svarta rubriker i media. Att försöka motverka insiderhandel grundar sig i den asymmetriska information som är vanligt förekommande på värdepappersmarknaden och som tycks vara anledningen till att marknaden kan upplevas som orättvis och omoralisk. Reglering av insiderhandel har således ansetts vara nödvändigt men själva lagen har ifrågasatts när det kommer till dess verkliga funktion och effektivitet. Tidigare forskning visar nämligen på att lagen kanske bäst kan förstås som en spelregel där spelet är amoraliskt. Hur lagen kan liknas vid en spelregel i praktiken verkar däremot saknas i tidigare forskning. En studie som jämför insiderlagen med ekonomiska brott, såsom bedrägeribrott, har således ansetts vara nödvändig för att avgöra på vilka sätt insiderlagen kan liknas vid en amoralisk spelregel. Denna kvalitativa dokumentstudie ämnar således att utifrån ett socialkonstruktionistiskt synsätt analysera och beskriva insiderlagen och på vilka sätt den kan förstås som en spelregel i praktiken. Vikten av att upprätthålla förtroendet för värdepappersmarknaden har vidare framhållits av tillsynsmyndigheterna Ekobrottsmyndigheten och Finansinspektionen, därför ansågs det även vara intressant att studera dokument från deras respektive hemsidor. Dokumenten analyserades utifrån en tematisk analys där resultaten kopplades till värdepappersreglering och insiderlag, förtroende i dess abstrakta form samt insdiderlag och/eller spelregler. Resultaten i denna studie pekar på att insiderlagen i praktiken bäst förstås som en spelregel eftersom insiderhandel är ett offerlöst brott där det tillsynes finns svårigheter att bevisa att ett brott faktiskt har begåtts. / Nyckelord: Värdepappersreglering, asymmetrisk information, abstrakta system, abstrakt förtroende, spelregel, spelAbstractInsider trading regulation is a highly-debated topic which often leads to black headlines in the media. Attempts to counteract insider trading is based on the asymmetric information that is common in the securities market and which seems to be the reason why the market can be perceived as unfair and immoral. Insider trading regulation has thus been considered necessary, but the law itself has been questioned when it comes to its real function and efficiency. Earlier research namely shows that the law may be better understood as a game rule where the game is amoral. How the law practically can be better understood as a game rule seems however yet to be lacking in previous research. A study comparing insider law with economic crimes, such as fraud offenses, has thus been considered necessary to determine in which ways the insider law can be compared to an amoral rule of law. This qualitative document-study thus aims to analyze and describe the insider law in a social constructive approach and in what ways it practically can be better understood as a game rule. The importance of maintaining trust in the securities market has also been emphasized by the supervisory authorities Ekobrottsmyndigheten and Finansinspektionen, therefore it was also considered interesting to study documents from their respective websites. The documents were analyzed based on a content analysis where the results were linked to securities regulation and insider law, trust in its abstract form and insiderlaw and/or game rules. The results of this study indicate that the insider law practically should be better understood as a game rule as insider trading is a victimless crime where there are difficulties in proving that a crime actually has been committed.

Malgré les encouragements visant à soutenir les PME, la création de ces entreprises demeure inférieure aux attentes ; nombre de celles-ci disparaissent. L'octroi de crédit est la ontrainte primordiale pesant sur le développement et la pérennité de ces entreprises puisque les banquiers accordent du crédit seulement lorsqu'ils s'assurent que les clients sont solvables et qu'ils sont aptes à honorer leur engagement. Cette politique financière discriminatoire des banques se justifie par la difficulté d'évaluer leurs risques et le manque de crédibilité de leurs systèmes d'informations puisque les informations sont insuffisantes et souvent unilatérales ; une des deux parties dispose d'une meilleure information ; il en sait davantage que l'autre. Ce phénomène est appelé asymétrie de l'information et pourrait engendrer l'aléa moral et la sélection adverse. Cependant, le contrat signé entre d'un côté, les emprunteurs, et de l'autre, les créanciers, pourrait se traduire par une information asymétrique conduisant, tout au plus, au rationnement de crédit, ou dans certains cas, à des taux d'intérêt élevé, freinant ainsi le développement de la relation banque-entreprise. Notre recherche s'appuie sur une enquête conduite auprès de 160 chargés de clientèle de deux banques tunisiennes, la Société Tunisienne de Banque (STB), et la Banque Internationale Arabe de Tunisie (BIAT), afin d'étudier leur comportement dans la décision d'attribution de crédit aux ppetites et moyennes entreprises (PME). L'utilisation de la méthode des équations structurelles montrent une diversité des comportements des banques privées par rapport à ceux étatiques. / Despite the encouragement to support the SMEs, the creation of these companies still bellow expectations, number of these disappears. The granting of credit is the essential constraint pressing on the development and the sustainability of these companies because the bankers provide credit only when they make sure that the customers are solvent and that they are capable of honoring their commitment. This discriminatory fisal policy banks is justified by the difficulty in assessing their risks and the lack of credibility of their information systems, since the information is insufficient and often unilateral, one of two parties has better information, he know more than the other. This phenomenon is alled asymmetric information and could cause moral hazard and adverse selection. However, the contract between the borrowers, on one hand, and creditors, on the other hand, the creditors ould be shifted by asymmetric information leading, at the most, rationing of credit, or in some cases, to high rate interest ; thus limiting the development of the relationship between banks and companies. Our research is based on a survey conducted among with 160 account managers of two Tunisian banks, Tunisian Banking company ("Société Tunisienne de Banque", STB) and the Arab International Bank of Tunisia ("Banque Internationale Arabe de Tunisie", BIAT) to study their behavior in the decision of allocation credit to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The results, achieved through Structural Equations Analysis, show differences between private versus public banks in regard.

Die Dissertation handelt über Wettbewerbsökonomie. Kapitel 1 betrachtet eine Fusion zwischen zwei regulierten Firmen, die in getrennten Märkten agieren und jeweils mit unregulierten Firmen konkurrieren. Die optimale Fusionspolitik für regulierte Firmen hängt von der Intensität des Wettbewerbs zwischen den unregulierten Firmen ab, verschärfter Wettbewerb zwischen den unregulierten Firmen induziert eine mildere Fusionspolitik. Das Gegenteil gilt, wenn die regulierten Firmen in ein wettbewerbsfähiges Marktsegment expandieren und die regulierten und unregulierten Waren komplementär sind. Kapitel 2 untersucht die optimale Fusionspolitik zwischen zwei wettbewerbsfähigen Firmen. Unter den strukturellen Auflagen, die sich am effektivsten herausgestellt haben um einen wirksamen Wettbewerb wiederherzustellen, gibt es eine die sich stark hervorhebt, nämlich die Veräußerung von differenzierten Marken an andere Wettbewerber. Dies ist eine effektive Möglichkeit, um die Marktmacht der neuen Firma zu verringern und sie kann die Möglichkeiten für privat und sozial wünschenswerte Fusionen erhöhen. Vor allem wenn die Güter annähernd perfekt substituierbar sind, ist der Bereich der Effizienzgewinne, die eine Fusion unter Auflagen erlauben, größer. Kapitel 3 untersucht die allgemein etablierte Feststellung, dass Einzelhandelspreise sich schneller anpassen, wenn Input Preise steigen, als wenn sie fallen. Durch die Anwendung eines dynamischen zwei Perioden Preiswettbewerb Modells zeigt sich das Folgende für die Angebotsseite für asymmetrische Preisanpassung: die Existenz von profitablen Lagerungsmöglichkeiten ermöglicht es wettbewerbsfähigen Firmen sich glaubhaft zu verpflichten, ihre Preise umgehend über die marginalen Kosten zu setzen, wenn sie höhere Input Preise antizipieren. Dies lockert den Wettbewerb sodass Firmen positive Gewinne erzielen. Wenn erwartet wird das Input Preise sinken, landen die Firmen im Bertrand Paradoxon und die Preisanpassung erfolgt langsamer. / This thesis is about competition economics. Chapter 1 considers a merger between two regulated firms operating in two separate markets, and in each market there are unregulated competitors. The optimal merger policy for regulated firms depends on the intensity of competition between unregulated firms, fiercer competition between unregulated firms induces a more lenient merger policy. These results are reversed if the regulated firms expand into a competitive segment of the market and the regulated and unregulated goods are complements. Chapter 2 studies the optimal merger policy between two competitive firms. Among the structural remedies which have being treated as the most effective manners to restore effective competition, there is one relevant type, namely, the divestiture of differentiated brands to other competitor(s). It is a powerful tool to lessen the merged entity''s market power and can increase the scope for privately and socially desirable mergers. In particular, when goods are closer to perfect substitutability, the range of the efficiency gains which allows the merger with remedies to be approved is larger. Chapter 3 investigates the well-established observation that retail prices adjust faster when input costs rise than when they fall. From the supply side to asymmetric price adjustments, using a model of two-period dynamic price competition, it shows that the presence of profitable storing allows competitive firms to credibly commit to immediately increase their prices above current marginal costs when they anticipate higher input costs. This relaxes competition and firms earn positive profits. If input costs are expected to decline, the firms are trapped in the Bertrand paradox and price adjustment is slower.