Static and semistatic hedging as contrarian or conformist bets

In this paper, we argue that, once the costs of maintaining the hedging portfolio are properly taken into account, semistatic portfolios should more properly be thought of as separate classes of derivatives, with nontrivial, model‐dependent payoff structures. We derive new integral representations for payoffs of exotic European options in terms of payoffs of vanillas, different from the Carr–Madan representation, and suggest approximations of the idealized static hedging/replicating portfolio using vanillas available in the market. We study the dependence of the hedging error on a model used for pricing and show that the variance of the hedging errors of static hedging portfolios can be sizably larger than the errors of variance‐minimizing portfolios. We explain why the exact semistatic hedging of barrier options is impossible for processes with jumps, and derive general formulas for variance‐minimizing semistatic portfolios. We show that hedging using vanillas only leads to larger errors than hedging using vanillas and first touch digitals. In all cases, efficient calculations of the weights of the hedging portfolios are in the dual space using new efficient numerical methods for calculation of the Wiener–Hopf factors and Laplace–Fourier inversion.     

Does trade size restriction affect trading behavior? Evidence from Indian single stock futures market

Algorithmic traders use their advantage of speed to execute a large number of small-sized trades in a very short time. In the presence of a minimum trading unit (MTU) restriction, they are forced to trade at the smallest possible sizes, often restricted by the MTU. Using a novel data set of single stock futures market obtained from the National Stock Exchange of India, we show that the MTU restriction acts as a binding constraint for traders while optimizing trade sizes. Contrary to expectation, we find weak evidence that liquidity is positively impacted by the contract size revision.     

Preferential trading arrangements as strategic positioning

We analyze a three-country model of trade negotiations in which countries can form bilateral free trade areas, bilateral customs unions or a trilateral preferential trading arrangement, and can continue negotiating after reaching an agreement. In contrast to the literature on multilateral bargaining, the set of agreements can form a (nonpartitional) network, while in contrast to the network literature, players can reach multilateral agreements. Patient enough countries only reach bilateral agreements if insiders gain more than outsiders, which allows them to manipulate the status quo in subsequent negotiations. However, a hub and spoke pattern may then emerge, and insiders then dissipate the advantages of strategic positioning. We also use variants on the model to explain why a US commitment not to bargain bilaterally sustained progress at GATT negotiations, and the rarity of open access preferential trading arrangements.     

Pairs‐trading and spread persistence in the European stock market

In this paper, we adapt the demand and supply framework introduced by Figuerola‐Ferretti and Gonzalo (Journal of Econometrics, 2010) to illustrate the dynamics of Pairs‐trading. We underline the process by which a finite elasticity of demand for spread trading determines the speed of mean reversion and pairs‐trading profitability. A persistence‐dependent trading trigger is introduced accordingly. Applied to STOXX Europe 600–traded equities, our strategy exploits price leadership for portfolio replication purposes and delivers Sharpe ratios that outperform the benchmark rules used in the literature. Portfolio performance and mean reversion are enhanced after firm fundamental factor restrictions are imposed.     

Institutional trading in IPOs and post-IPOs: Value-based vs speculative

Using a unique dataset from Shanghai Stock Exchange, we study institutional trading behaviors in IPOs and post-IPOs. From the perspective of value-based or speculation, we find that, (1) institutional investors are flippers on the first day of IPOs, (2) trading by institutional investors and the active institutional investors (mutual funds or brokerage) is value-based, and (3) the net buys of institutional investors can predict the long term performance of IPO-firms and shows a negative relation with a bubble in future. Since individual investors are the opponent of institutional investors, our results mean that individuals are speculators in the market. Our study suggest that institutional investors are the sophisticated ones in the market and they can process information more efficiently, whose value-based trading can enhance market price discovery and is good for market stabilization.     

A rare move: The effects of switching from a closing call auction to a continuous trading

This study investigates the effects of switching to a closing continuous trading (CCT) on market quality, while considering the trading behaviors of different types of traders. Investors become more patient in the period preceding the last trading phase, which reduces the bid–ask spread (BAS) in that period. We find an increase in the BAS and volatility during the last trading phase, due to diminishing investor patience. Market volatility and the closing pricing errors relate positively to the trading activities of foreign institutional investors. Overall, the introduction of the CCT worsens the market quality before the closing.     

集体建设用地征用与市场交易机制建立

在考察中国集体土地产权制度演变的基础上,分析转型时期的土地征用过程,剖析征地矛盾的内在机理,探索征地矛盾的解决思路和具体方案,揭示集体建设用地市场交易机制的重要性。     

Liquidity effects of trading frequency

In this paper, we present a discrete‐time modeling framework, in which the shape and dynamics of a Limit Order Book (LOB) arise endogenously from an equilibrium between multiple market participants (agents). We use the proposed modeling framework to analyze the effects of trading frequency on market liquidity in a very general setting. In particular, we demonstrate the dual effect of high trading frequency. On the one hand, the higher frequency increases market efficiency, if the agents choose to provide liquidity in equilibrium. On the other hand, it also makes markets more fragile, in the sense that the agents choose to provide liquidity in equilibrium only if they are market neutral (i.e., their beliefs satisfy certain martingale property). Even a very small deviation from market neutrality may cause the agents to stop providing liquidity, if the trading frequency is sufficiently high, which represents an endogenous liquidity crisis (also known as flash crash) in the market. This framework enables us to provide more insight into how such a liquidity crisis unfolds, connecting it to the so‐called adverse selection effect.     

When is informed trading more prevalent?—An examination of options trading around Indian M&A announcements

This study examines the prevalence of informed trading around proximate-date versus far-date mergers and acquisitions (M&As). Further, different options strategies pursued by informed traders in proximate-date M&As are identified. The results highlight that proximate-date M&As are associated with a significantly higher level of informed trading vis-à-vis far-date M&As. Results on the choice of options strategies highlight that risk-averse, informed traders may pursue a straddle strategy to profit from their private information, while risk-seeking, informed traders may use a vertical call spread strategy. Informed traders desirous of hedging their existing positions may employ a protective put strategy.     

Option trading and the cross-listed stock returns: Evidence from Chinese A–H shares

We empirically investigate the effects of option trading on the cross-listed stock returns. Using dual-listed stocks in mainland China (A) and Hong Kong (H) stock exchanges, we show that option order imbalance (OI) positively and significantly predicts daily stock returns for both markets, controlling for risk factors and firm characteristics. Informed trading rather than price pressure better explain the predictability. High OI stocks have higher trading volume and present lottery-like properties. Three important events significantly affect the predictive power of OI, consistent with the improved market quality and the episode of speculative trading. Robustness checks support the main findings.     

Flow toxicity of high-frequency trading and its impact on price volatility: Evidence from the KOSPI 200 futures market

We examine the relation between high-frequency trading, flow toxicity, and short-term volatility during both normal and stressful periods. Using transaction data for the Korea Composite Stock Price Index 200 (KOSPI 200) futures, we find the Volume-Synchronized Probability of Informed Trading (VPIN) useful in measuring flow toxicity as it predicts short-term volatility effectively. We further show that high-frequency trading is negatively related to VPIN and short-term volatility during normal times but has a positive association during stressful periods. Finally, we advocate the use of bulk-volume classification (BVC) by presenting evidence that the initiator identified by BVC trades at more favorable prices than the true trade initiator.     

Understanding expert practices in order to control expert activities: The case of trading

Experts are important actors of organizational control. Nevertheless, experience suggests that they must be controlled as well. This is particularly the case for traders in financial institutions. We first identify the limits of traditional control patterns when the managing the activities of experts is at stake. Hyperspecialization, which is the ability to act within different logics and multiple time horizons, suggests that multidimensional representations of these activities be adopted and made explicit, which has the potential to prevent such activities from turning problematic. By examining bank risks and conducting additional interviews with actors from bank trading services, we recommend that multiple components of complexity be preserved when dealing with expert‐related operational risks, instead of reducing this complexity to a single concept. Such an approach implies to turn back expertise against itself. Copyright © 2017 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Research on a stock-matching trading strategy based on bi-objective optimization

In recent years, with strict domestic financial supervision and other policy-oriented factors, some products are becoming increasingly restricted, including nonstandard products, bank-guaranteed wealth management products, and other products that can provide investors with a more stable income. Pairs trading, a type of stable strategy that has proved efficient in many financial markets worldwide, has become the focus of investors. Based on the traditional Gatev–Goetzmann–Rouwenhorst (GGR, Gatev et al., 2006) strategy, this paper proposes a stock-matching strategy based on bi-objective quadratic programming with quadratic constraints (BQQ) model. Under the condition of ensuring a long-term equilibrium between pairedstock prices, the volatility of stock spreads is increased as much as possible, improving the profitability of the strategy. To verify the effectiveness of the strategy, we use the natural logs of the daily stock market indices in Shanghai. The GGR model and the BQQ model proposed in this paper are back-tested and compared. The results show that the BQQ model can achieve a higher rate of returns.     

论“市场欺诈理论”与证券内幕交易民事责任因果关系的确立及借鉴

目前内幕交易民事责任因果关系问题是我国立法中的一个空白点。理论界对此问题做过大量探讨,但涉及内幕交易因果关系的理论基础和发展趋势及我国应采用的基本观点还缺乏必要的认识,为此从我国相关立法实践出发,借鉴"市场欺诈理论"和西方国家立法、司法实践,对完善我国证券内幕交易民事责任的因果关系问题提出建设性意见。     

Hong Kong and Singapore exchanges confront high frequency trading

The Hong Kong (HKEx) and Singapore (SGX) exchanges remain conflicted about high frequency trading (HFT), reflecting the environment of private and public sector actors in which the HKEx and SGX operate. Neither exchange has resolved these conflicts, leaving the HFT controversy simmering and limiting the amounts of such trading occurring on their exchanges. Competitor exchanges in Asia, however, are more supportive of HFT. With the aid of technology providers which enable HFT, the HKEx and SGX significantly improved their trading infrastructures. At the same time, these providers developed data centres at other exchanges and built fibre-optic connections which permit low-latency trading across Asia. Traders in Hong Kong and Singapore access these exchanges, potentially undermining the HKEx and SGX.     

Mean‐field games with differing beliefs for algorithmic trading

Even when confronted with the same data, agents often disagree on a model of the real world. Here, we address the question of how interacting heterogeneous agents, who disagree on what model the real world follows, optimize their trading actions. The market has latent factors that drive prices, and agents account for the permanent impact they have on prices. This leads to a large stochastic game, where each agents performance criteria are computed under a different probability measure. We analyze the mean‐field game (MFG) limit of the stochastic game and show that the Nash equilibrium is given by the solution to a nonstandard vector‐valued forward–backward stochastic differential equation. Under some mild assumptions, we construct the solution in terms of expectations of the filtered states. Furthermore, we prove that the MFG strategy forms an ε‐Nash equilibrium for the finite player game. Finally, we present a least square Monte Carlo based algorithm for computing the equilibria and show through simulations that increasing disagreement may increase price volatility and trading activity.     

Informed options trading on the implied volatility surface: A cross-sectional approach

This study investigates the cross-sectional implication of informed options trading across different strikes and maturities. We explore the term structure perspective of the one-way information transmission from options markets to stock markets by adopting well-known option-implied volatility measures to examine stock return predictability. Using equity options data for U.S. listed stocks spanning 2000–2013, we find that the shape of the long-term implied volatility curve exhibits extra predictive power for stock returns of subsequent months even after orthogonalizing the short-term components. Our findings indicate that the inter-market information asymmetry rapidly disappears before the expiration of long-term option contracts.     

Flexibility,labour segmentation and retail superstore managers: the effects of Sunday trading

Research into retail employment relations has focused largely upon the shop floor worker. Relatively little has been written on the role of store management. This paper focuses upon managerial attitudes to one of the major contemporary retail issues- Sunday trading. It examines the composition of the managerial workforce within the DIY and grocery superstore sectors and analyses their attitudes towards Sunday opening. It concludes that, compared to other job categories, these superstore managers perceive there to be greater disadvantages with Sunday working. The implications of this are assessed both in retail management terms and also in the context of debates about restructuring retail employment, labour market segmentation and flexible workforces     

Impact of algorithmic trading on speed of adjustment to new information: Evidence from interest rate derivatives

In February 2012, the Australian Securities Exchange introduced co-location services for futures traders, thus providing a natural experiment to test the impact of algorithmic trading (AT) on the speed of adjustment and price discovery during scheduled macroeconomic releases. Our results demonstrate that, in the presence of AT, the speed of adjustment to new information has improved for both exchange-traded futures and over-the-counter-traded swaps. In addition, we find that the price discovery contribution of the futures market improves in the post-AT period, with this improvement significant for macroeconomic announcement days.