Do Local Investors Know More? Evidence from Mutual Fund Location and Investments

Abstract

This study finds that actively managed mutual funds do not display abnormal superior performance in local stocks relative to their own performance in distant stocks. However, the trading behavior of these funds is consistent with a widespread perception that local funds have an informational advantage. This perception is not only held by the local fund managers themselves (who tend to trade more aggressively), but also shared by distant managers (who tend to mimic local managers).