Do Futures Lead Price Discovery in Electronic Foreign Exchange Markets?

Abstract

Using intra-day data, this paper investigates the contribution to the price discovery of Euro and Japanese Yen exchange rates in three foreign exchange markets based on electronic trading systems: the CME GLOBEX regular futures, E-mini futures, and the EBS interdealer spot market. Contrary to evidence in equity markets and more recent evidence in foreign exchange markets, the spot market is found to consistently lead the price discovery process for both currencies during the sample period. Furthermore, E-mini futures do not contribute more to the price discovery than the electronically traded regular futures.

Keywords: price discovery, electronic trading, foreign exchange markets, spot and futures, E-mini

JEL Classification: C32, F31, G13, G14