Schulich logo The word Schulich Schulich Wordmark The word Schulich with the words Leading Change Schulich Logo The Schulich logo Schulich 50th Logo The number 50 Search An icon depicting a magnifying glass Envelope An icon depicting an envelope Phone An icon depicting a phone Fax An icon depicting a fax machine Map Pin An icon depicting a map pin People An icon depicting two people Graduation Cap An icon depicting a graduation cap Menu An icon depicting three lines Close An icon depicting an X Arrow Up An icon depicting an upward facing arrow Arrow Right An icon depicting a right facing arrow Arrow Down An icon depicting a downward facing arrow Arrow Left An icon depicting a left facing arrow Plus An icon depicting a plus sign Minus An icon depicting a minus sign Chart An icon depicting a chart Book An icon depicting a book Envelope An icon depicting a stamped envelope Dollar Sign An icon depicting a dollar sign Briefcase An icon depicting a briefcase Page An icon depicting a single page Share An icon depicting three connected dots Alert An icon depicting a triangle with an exclamation point Calendar An icon depicting a blank calendar Event An icon depicting a blank calendar Add Event An icon depicting a calendar with a plus sign on it Event Details An icon depicting a calendar with a question mark on it Print An icon depicting a printer Comment An icon depicting a speech bubble Feed The RSS icon Details An icon depicting a page with three lines of text Facebook An icon depicting the Facebook logo Twitter An icon depicting the Twitter logo YouTube An icon depicting the YouTube logo LinkedIn An icon depicting the LinkedIn logo Instagram An icon depicting the Instagram logo Long Arrow Left An icon depicting an arrow pointing left Long Arrow Down An icon depicting an arrow pointing down Flexible Study Options An icon depicting a branching line Awards An icon depicting a ribbon Advisory Board An icon depicting a round table Graduate Diploma An icon depicting a graduation cap Professional Designations An icon depicting a certificate Academics An icon depicting an academic building Schulich Logo The Schulich logo Academics An icon depicting an academic building Globe An icon depicting the globe with an arrow circling it Globe An icon depicting the globe with an arrow circling it Award Ribbon An icon depicting a ribbon Teacher An icon depicting a teacher pointing at a blackboard Double Location An icon depicting two location pins Wireframe Globe An icon depicting a wireframe globe Airplane An icon depicting an airplane Play Icon in the shape of a play button as found on videos Full-time Icon representing a full-time program Part-time Icon representing a part-time program Full-time Accelerated Icon representing a full-time accelerated program Part-time Accelerated Icon representing a part-time accelerated program Program Details Icon representing program details Program Tuition Icon representing tuition and fees Career Opportunities Icon representing program details Accreditations Icon representing program accreditations Program Options Icon representing program options Requirements Icon representing program requirements Courses and Electives Icon representing program courses Faculty Icon representing program faculty Clubs Icon representing program clubs Courthouse Icon representing a courthouse Oil Icon representing an oil droplet Retail Icon representing a shopping bag Food Icon representing a fork and knife Construction Icon representing a hammer and wrench Person A silhouette of a person Person An outline of a person Folder An outline of a folder Pie chart An outline of a pie chart Graph An outline of a bar graph Save An arrow pointing into a box Play An outline of a play arrow Key An outline of a key Ticket An outline of a ticket Books Two books Computer A laptop computer Globe An outline of a globe Plane An outline of a plane Accelerated Program An outline of a fast-forward button Part-time Program An arrow arcing around a clock Viewbook An outline of an open book Medal A medal with a star Professor A lecturing professor Suit A person wearing a suit Laptop Laptop computer (by FlatIcon) Locked Closed Access Unlocked Open Access Google Scholar Google Scholar icon Calendar An icon depicting a blank calendar India An icon depicting a Indian landmark Report An icon depicting a briefcase Skip to content

How will this month’s solar eclipse impact stock market trading?

  • Future Students
  • Current Students
    Undergraduate Students ›Graduate Students ›PhD Students ›
     › › › ›
  • Alumni
    • Mentorship & Volunteering ›

      Alumni Benefits ›

      Success Stories ›

      Common Questions ›

      Contact Alumni Relations ›

    • Alumni Events ›

      Global Alumni Chapters ›

      Alumni Services for Students ›

      Alumni Recognition Awards ›

    Overview ›Alumni Career Portal ›Online Community ›
     › › › ›
  • Donors
    • Ways to Support ›

      The Impact of Giving ›

      Sponsorship Opportunities ›

      Leaving a Legacy to Schulich ›

      Contact Development Office ›

    • Schulich Priorities ›

      The Schulich Annual Fund ›

      The Dean’s Society ›

      Tribute Giving ›

    Overview ›Donate Now ›
     › › › ›
  • Recruiters
  • Media
MySchulich
Schulich School of Business
  • Future Students
  • Current Students
    Undergraduate Students ›Graduate Students ›PhD Students ›
     › › › ›
  • Alumni
    • Mentorship & Volunteering ›

      Alumni Benefits ›

      Success Stories ›

      Common Questions ›

      Contact Alumni Relations ›

    • Alumni Events ›

      Global Alumni Chapters ›

      Alumni Services for Students ›

      Alumni Recognition Awards ›

    Overview ›Alumni Career Portal ›Online Community ›
     › › › ›
  • Donors
    • Ways to Support ›

      The Impact of Giving ›

      Sponsorship Opportunities ›

      Leaving a Legacy to Schulich ›

      Contact Development Office ›

    • Schulich Priorities ›

      The Schulich Annual Fund ›

      The Dean’s Society ›

      Tribute Giving ›

    Overview ›Donate Now ›
     › › › ›
  • Recruiters
  • Media
  • Programs
    & Courses
    • Undergraduate

      BBA ›

      Master of Business Administration

      MBA ›
      MBA / Juris Doctor ›
      MBA / MFA / MA ›
      Kellogg-Schulich Executive MBA ›
      Tech MBA ›

    • Specialized Masters Programs

      Accounting ›
      Artificial Intelligence ›
      Business Analytics ›
      Finance ›
      Health Industry Administration ›
      Management ›
      Marketing ›
      Real Estate & Infrastructure ›
      Supply Chain Management ›

    • Exchange

      Incoming Exchange and Programs ›

      Graduate Diplomas

      Post-MBA Diploma in Advanced Management ›
      Accounting Analytics ›

      Doctor of Philosophy

      PhD in Administration ›

     › › › ›
  • Admissions
    • Undergraduate

      Apply Now ›
      Admissions FAQs ›
      Connect With Us ›
      Admission Events ›
      Meet the Team ›

    • Graduate

      Apply Now ›

      Tuition Fees & Costs ›

      Application Tips ›

      Connect with Us ›

      Admission Events ›

      Meet the Team ›

    Admissions Requirements ›
     › › › ›
  • Faculty
    & Research
  • Student Life
    & Services
    • Case Competition Program ›
      Centre for Career Design ›
      Event Calendar ›
      Financial Aid ›

    • International Relations ›
      Libraries ›
      Services for Students ›
      Student Life at Schulich ›

     › › › ›
  • About
    • Our Dean ›

      Rankings ›

      Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion ›

      Case Competition Program ›

      Schulich Startups ›

      Impact Report ›

      News & Events ›

      Contact Directory ›

    • Our Heritage ›

      Recruit at Schulich ›

      Work at Schulich ›

      Hospitality & Hotel Services ›

    Learn more about Schulich ›
     › › › ›
  • Executive
    MBA
    • Program Information

      Overview ›

      Program Details ›

      Schedule & Courses ›

    • Admission Requirements ›

      Tuition Fees ›

      Follow us on LinkedIn ›

    Are you EMBA ready? ›Request a pre-assessment ›

     

    Contact us at 416-736-5486 or emba@schulich.yorku.ca​

     › › › ›
  • Executive
    Education
  • MySchulich

About

About › News & Events

  • ‹ News Feed
  • August 2, 2017

    How will this month’s solar eclipse impact stock market trading?

    Mood-altering phenomena have historically resulted in atypical investor behaviour, says researcher

    Canadian Securities Institute Research Foundation Term Professor of Finance, Mark Kamstra, is available to comment on potential negative impact on the markets

    August 2, 2017 – Toronto, Canada –The first total solar eclipse in 38 years, set for August 21, could be a bad day for stock markets, predicts a professor at the Schulich School of Business who has studied how mood disturbances, such as that arising from seasonal depression or a time change, can impact markets.

    Research shows that weather-related psychological states, such as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), can cause heightened risk aversion by investors, says Mark Kamstra, Professor of Finance at Schulich School of Business at York University in Toronto, Canada.

    Kamstra is a co-author, with Lisa Kramer of the University of Toronto and Maurice Levi of the University of British Columbia, of “Winter Blues: A SAD Market Cycle.” The study found that stock market returns in countries around the world are “significantly related to the amount of daylight through the fall and winter.”

    Just as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a depressive medical condition caused by the shortness of the days in fall and winter, results in a seasonal time-variation of stock market returns, the August 21 solar eclipse could impact the markets, says Kamstra.

    “Historically, solar eclipses have inspired great fear, and, even today, some superstition remains for many people, so the markets can expect some fallout,” says Kamstra. “Investors may want to avert their eyes from market moves as well as the glare of the eclipse when the moon cuts in front of the sun later this month.”

    In their paper, Kamstra et al investigate the role of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in the seasonal time-variation of stock market returns. SAD is an extensively documented medical condition whereby the shortness of the days in fall and winter leads to depression for many people. Experimental research in psychology and economics indicates that depression, in turn, causes heightened risk aversion. Building on these links between the length of day, depression, and risk aversion, they provide international evidence that stock market returns vary seasonally with the length of the day, a result they call the SAD effect. Using data from numerous stock exchanges and controlling for well-known market seasonals as well as other environmental factors, stock returns are shown to be significantly related to the amount of daylight through the fall and winter. Patterns at different latitudes and in both hemispheres provide compelling evidence of a link between seasonal depression and seasonal variation in stock returns: Higher latitude markets show more pronounced SAD effects and results in the Southern Hemisphere are six months out of phase, as are the seasons. Overall, the economic magnitude of the SAD effect is large.

    The full paper is available at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=208622

     

    Contact:

    Mark Kamstra
    Canadian Securities Institute Research Foundation Term Professor of Finance
    Schulich School of Business
    York University, Toronto
    Email:
    mkamstradx@schulich.yorku.ca

     

    Beth Marlin
    Media Relations
    Schulich School of Business
    York University, Toronto
    Email:
    bmarlin@schulich.yorku.ca

  • Related Posts

    Media Releases ›
  • Schulich - York University
    • Directions
    • Location Inquiries
    • Contact Directory
    • Event Calendar
    • MySchulich
  • Information for:

    • Future Students
    • Current Students Undergraduate
    • Current Students Graduate
    • Current PHD Students
    • Alumni
    • Donors
    • Recruiters
    • Faculty & Staff
    • Media
  • Go to:

    • About
    • Admissions
    • Faculty Listing
    • Student Life at Schulich
    • Services for Students
    • Wellness Suite
    • Privacy
    • Site Map
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram

© Copyright 2025 The Schulich School of Business, York University.