Well-functioning capital markets rely on a complex set of institutions and participants that ensure capital is allocated to its best possible use, and that information flows between firms receiving capital and the investors who provide it. In this manuscript, we endeavor to understand whether, how, and under what circumstances sell-side research contributes to the functioning of capital markets. We review major findings in the literature, address significant regulatory and technological changes, and offer suggestions for future research.

Financial Analysts and Their Contribution to Well-Functioning Capital Markets views analysts in their role as key capital market intermediaries. The primary focus is on analysts' activities, the information that is important to them, who benefits from their activities, and how regulation and information technology have changed their environment in recent years. The authors question the restrictive focus on analysts' quantitative outputs that characterizes some prior research, and instead focus on the information environment, the constituents that analysts serve, and their contribution to well-functioning capital markets. Within this broader perspective, opportunities are identified to advance the academic literature on financial analysts' activities and contributions. Section 2 gives a recent historical overview of analysts' institutional setting. Section 3 discusses the basics of a career in sell-side research. Section 4 highlights the sources of information available to analysts. Sections 5 and 6 discuss the nature of the information analysts generate and how this information is useful to the capital markets, respectively. Section 7 critically assesses how research characterizes analysts' conflicts of interest. Section 8 discusses the pitfalls of using regulations as "natural experiments," as is common in accounting and finance research. Section 9 considers Reg FD as a case study of research inference. Section 10 briefly highlights evidence of analysts' value in capital markets and Section 11 concludes.

Sharpen your understanding of the financial markets with this incisive volume Equity Markets, Valuation, and Analysis brings together many of the leading practitioner and academic voices in finance to produce a comprehensive and empirical examination of equity markets. Masterfully written and edited by experts in the field, Equity Markets, Valuation, and Analysis introduces the basic concepts and applications that govern the area before moving on to increasingly intricate treatments of sub-fields and market trends. The book includes in-depth coverage of subjects including: · The latest trends and research from across the globe · The controversial issues facing the field of valuation and the future outlook for the field · Empirical evidence and research on equity markets · How investment professionals analyze and manage equity portfolios This book balances its comprehensive discussion of the empirical foundations of equity markets with the perspectives of financial experts. It is ideal for professional investors, financial analysts, and undergraduate and graduate students in finance.

This accessible Handbook provides an essential entry point for those with an interest in the increasingly complex subject of financial decision making. It sheds light on new paradigms in society and the ways that new tools from private actors have affected financial decision making. Covering a broad range of key topics in the area, leading researchers summarize the state-of-the-art in their respective areas of expertise, delineating their projections for the future.

Meeting the predictors -- The problem with forecasting in economic theory -- Inside Swiss banking -- Among financial analysts -- Intrinsic value, market value, and the search for information -- The construction of an investment narrative -- The politics of circulating narratives -- Analysts as animators -- Why the economy needs narratives

This proceedings book gathers selected papers that were submitted to the 2020 International Conference on Comprehensible Science (ICCS 2020) that aims to make available the discussion and the publication of papers on all aspects of single and multi-disciplinary research on Conference topics. ICCS 2020 held on October 30–31, 2020. An important characteristic feature of Conference is the short publication time and world-wide distribution. Written by respected researchers, the book covers a range of innovative topics related to: Big Data & Data Mining; Business, Finance & Accounting & Statistics; COVID-19 Impact; Educational Technologies; Innovative Applied Sciences; Innovative Economics; Management Technologies & Systems; Media Technologies; Physical & Material Sciences; Medicine, Public Health & Rehabilitation. This book is useful for private and professional non-commercial research and classroom use (e.g. sharing the contribution by mail or in hard copy form with research colleagues for their professional non-commercial research and classroom use); for use in presentations or handouts for any level students, researchers, etc.; for the further development of authors’ scientific career (e.g. by citing and attaching contributions to job or grant application).

Capital markets can improve risk sharing and the efficiency with which capital is allocated to the real economy, boosting economic growth and welfare. However, despite these potential benefits, not all countries have well developed capital markets. Moreover, government-led initiatives to develop local capital markets have had mixed success. This paper reviews the literature on the benefits and costs of developing local capital markets, and describes the challenges faced in the development of such markets. The paper concludes with a set of policy recommendations emerging from this literature.