The Flash Crash: Trading Aggressiveness, Liquidity Supply, and the Impact of Intermarket Sweep Orders

45 Pages Posted: 26 Jun 2010 Last revised: 22 Aug 2013

See all articles by Robert Wood

Robert Wood

University of Memphis - Fogelman College of Business and Economics

James Upson

University of Texas at El Paso

Thomas H. McInish

University of Memphis - Fogelman College of Business and Economics

Date Written: July 2013

Abstract

During the Flash Crash on May 6, 2010, a short period of high stock market volatility, some stock prices declined to $0.01, while others increased to $100,000. Examining Intermarket Sweep Orders (ISO) before, on, and after May 6, we find that ISO use is substantially higher on May 6. For those stocks whose prices fell the most, over 65% of the sell volume comes from ISOs. During the price recovery period for these stocks, about 53% of the buy volume comes from ISOs. We believe that the unusual behavior of ISOs contributed to the sudden drop and recovery of the market.

Keywords: Regulation NMS, Market Quality, Sweep Order, Flash Crash

JEL Classification: G14, G18, G19

Suggested Citation

Wood, Robert A. and Upson, James and McInish, Thomas H., The Flash Crash: Trading Aggressiveness, Liquidity Supply, and the Impact of Intermarket Sweep Orders (July 2013). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1629402 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1629402

Robert A. Wood

University of Memphis - Fogelman College of Business and Economics ( email )

Memphis, TN 38152
United States
901-678-2670 (Phone)
901-678-3006 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.people.memphis.edu/~rwood/

James Upson (Contact Author)

University of Texas at El Paso ( email )

500 West University
El Paso, TX 79968-0545
United States

Thomas H. McInish

University of Memphis - Fogelman College of Business and Economics ( email )

Memphis, TN 38152
United States
901-678-4662 (Phone)
901-678-3006 (Fax)