Recent Trends in Trading Activity and Market Quality

57 Pages Posted: 31 Oct 2010 Last revised: 18 Nov 2010

See all articles by Tarun Chordia

Tarun Chordia

Emory University - Department of Finance

Richard Roll

California Institute of Technology

Avanidhar Subrahmanyam

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) - Finance Area; Financial Research Network (FIRN)

Date Written: November 16, 2010

Abstract

We explore the sharp uptrend in recent trading activity and accompanying changes in market efficiency. Higher turnover has been associated with more frequent smaller trades, which have progressively formed a larger fraction of trading volume over time. Evidence indicates that secular decreases in trading costs have influenced the turnover trend. Turnover has increased the most for stocks with the greatest level of institutional holdings, suggesting professional investing as a key contributor to the turnover trend. Variance ratio tests suggest that more institutional trading has increased information-based trading. Intraday volatility has decreased and prices conform more closely to random walk in recent years. The sensitivity of turnover to past returns has increased and cross-sectional predictability of returns has decreased significantly, revealing a more widespread use of quantitative trading strategies that allow for more efficient securities prices.

Keywords: Trading Volume, Market Quality, Trading Costs, Efficiency

JEL Classification: G10

Suggested Citation

Chordia, Tarun and Roll, Richard W. and Subrahmanyam, Avanidhar, Recent Trends in Trading Activity and Market Quality (November 16, 2010). UCLA Working Paper, Emory Law and Economics Research Paper No. 10-88, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1700191 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1700191

Tarun Chordia

Emory University - Department of Finance ( email )

Atlanta, GA 30322-2710
United States
404-727-1620 (Phone)
404-727-5238 (Fax)

Richard W. Roll

California Institute of Technology ( email )

1200 East California Blvd
Mail Code: 228-77
Pasadena, CA 91125
United States
626-395-3890 (Phone)
310-836-3532 (Fax)

Avanidhar Subrahmanyam (Contact Author)

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) - Finance Area ( email )

Los Angeles, CA 90095-1481
United States
310-825-5355 (Phone)
310-206-5455 (Fax)

Financial Research Network (FIRN)

C/- University of Queensland Business School
St Lucia, 4071 Brisbane
Queensland
Australia

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