The Great East Japan Earthquake and Stock Prices

Abstract : The Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011, which led to a massive tsunami and the nuclear accident at Fukushima, moved Japanese authorities to close most of the country's nuclear reactors for inspection (only 2 of 54 total currently are working), as well as to reassess its national energy policy. This article investigates the volatility of stock prices before and after the disaster. The evolution of stock prices of electric utility companies differs greatly, compared with those of firms in other industries.