Volatility, Volume and Pricing Efficiency in the Stock Index Futures Market When the Underlying Cash Market Does Not Trade

Abstract:     
This paper presents an event study of the trading of Hang Seng Index (HSI) futures contracts on the Hong Kong Futures Exchange (HKFE) after it begins to open fifteen minutes earlier and close fifteen minutes later than the underlying cash market, the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (SEHK) in November 1998. The empirical results show that the extension of trading hours in the HKFE causes futures traders to shift their orders from other sessions of the day to the first 15-minute trading session preceding the opening in cash market. However, the increase in trading volume during the opening session does not bring any corresponding upsurge in return volatility. Instead, futures returns during the opening session are found to be relatively less volatile than before. In addition, the futures contract opening prices appear to have little change (or even reduction) in pricing errors when compared with the pre-extension period. These observations suggest that trading activities during the extended opening session of the futures market are dominated by the better-informed traders which help to speed up the price discovery process in the market. On the other hand, there are no notable changes in return volatility, trading volume and pricing efficiency in the last 15-minute trading session of the HKFE during the post-extension period.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 30

Keywords: Extended trading hours; Pricing efficiency; Hong Kong Futures Exchange

JEL Classification: G14, G15

working papers series