CeRP and MaFIRM Webinar “Personal Finance, Responsible Investing and Stock Allocation”

Marie Brière (Amundi and Université Paris Dauphine); April 30, 2020, 1pm – 2:30pm

Organized by CeRP and the Master in Finance, Insurance and Risk Management of the Collegio Carlo Alberto

Marie Brière is Head of Investor Research Center at AMUNDI (Asset Management of Crédit Agricole and Société Générale) in Paris. She is also Affiliate Professor with Paris Dauphine University and Economics of Pension and Savings Visiting Professor at University of Turin.

Abstract
We analyze the portfolio choices of approximately 965,500 active participants in employee saving plans in France. Looking at the cross-section of equity exposure, we find that the inclusion of responsible equity options in the menu of available funds is associated with a 2.2% higher equity allocation by plan participants. Difference-in-differences analyses confirm that the introduction of a responsible equity option to a saving plan is followed by an increase of 6.8% in participants’ appetite for stocks, contrary to what happens with conventional equity funds. Additional analyses along the geographical variation in political preferences indicate that the observed effect is driven by social and cultural factors.

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