How Effective Are Trading Pauses?

Author(s)
Nikolaus Hautsch, Akos Horvath
Abstract

Exploiting Nasdaq order book data and difference-in-differences methodology, we identify the distinct effects of trading pause mechanisms introduced on US stock exchanges after May 2010. We show that the mere existence of such a regulation makes market participants behave differently in anticipation of a pause. Pauses enhance price discovery during the break but have adverse effects on price stability and liquidity after the pause. We find that pauses ultimately do not “cool off” markets but cause extra volatility. This implies a regulatory trade-off between the protective role of trading pauses and their adverse effects on market quality.

Organisation(s)
Department of Statistics and Operations Research, Research Network Data Science, Department of Finance
Journal
Journal of Financial Economics
Volume
131
Pages
378-403
No. of pages
26
ISSN
0304-405X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfineco.2017.12.011
Publication date
02-2019
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
502009 Corporate finance
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Economics and Econometrics, Accounting, Finance, Strategy and Management
Portal url
https://ucris.univie.ac.at/portal/en/publications/how-effective-are-trading-pauses(a2b8b9dd-bf8b-4f16-8b21-ec1b63df4ba3).html