Course 2018-2019 a.y.

20252 - INFORMATION AND THE ARCHITECTURE OF FINANCIAL MARKETS

Department of Finance

Course taught in English
Go to class group/s: 31
CLMG (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/01) - M (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/01) - IM (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/01) - MM (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/01) - AFC (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/01) - CLEFIN-FINANCE (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/01) - CLELI (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/01) - ACME (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/01) - DES-ESS (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  12 credits SECS-P/01) - EMIT (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/01) - GIO (6 credits - I sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/01)
Course Director:
BARBARA RINDI

Classes: 31 (I sem.)
Instructors:
Class 31: BARBARA RINDI


Prerequisites

Basic fundamentals of Mathematics and Statistics.

Mission & Content Summary

MISSION

The objective of this course is to provide a comprehensive guide to the theoretical and empirical works developed in the field of market microstructure. Market microstructure is about studying the pricing process under explicit trading rules. While financial economics usually does not focus on the mechanics of trading, microstructure literature studies how different trading mechanisms affect the price formation process. Therefore, contrary to the traditional asset pricing approach, this field of research assigns a crucial role to transaction costs, asymmetric information and agents' strategic behavior. The course is divided into three main sections. (1) Institutions: thorough description of the core features of financial markets structure. (2) Theory: focus on the fundamental models of market microstructure and on some more advanced models that describe how the most sophisticated electronic platforms for trading financial instruments work; use of the models' results to discuss issues on financial market design and regulation. (3) Empirical microstructure: test of the empirical predictions from the theory and use of empirical (structural) models to estimate transaction costs. Event study approach to investigate issues in market design: role of market makers, dark trading, tick size, high frequency trading and competition in trading fees.

CONTENT SUMMARY

  1. Institutions: 
    • Description of how a limit order book works: market structures, market participants, orders and order properties; trading rules (order precedence and trade pricing rules) and price discovery. High Frequency Trading and Dark Pool regulation.
  2. Theory: 
    • Models of dealer markets: OTC markets and dealer-based NASDAQ.
    • Information-based models of batch auctions (as opening/closing auctions or intraday auctions).
    • Models of auction markets (specialist-based NYSE), price discovery and trading strategies.
    • Models of Limit Order Books: order-driven NASDAQ, NYSE, ATS, MTF, Euronext, Millennium etc.
    • Models of intermarket competition: Dark Pools, Tick Size and Trading Fees. 
    • Empirical microstructure.
    • Empirical models of bid-ask spread: order processing, inventory and adverse selection.
    • Estimate of the probability of informed trading (PIN) and extensions.
    • Price discovery and the price effect of trading.
    • Empirical evidence on High Frequency Trading, Dark pools, Tick Size regulation, and Pricing Structure.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...

Understand thoroughly and make critical assesment of the current literature on the design and regulation of financial markets.

APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...

Trade on the most advanced trading platforms around the world.


Teaching methods

  • Face-to-face lectures

DETAILS

There might be guest speakers.


Assessment methods

  Continuous assessment Partial exams General exam
  • Written individual exam (traditional/online)
     x

Teaching materials


ATTENDING AND NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

  • Lecture notes (Bboard).
  • Articles from Journals: a detailed reading list is provided at the beginning of the course.
  • DE JONG , RINDI, The Microstructure of Financial Markets, Cambridge University Press, 2009.
  • HARRIS, Trading and Exchanges , Oxford University Press, 2003.
  • JOHNSON, Algorithmic Trading & DMA, Myeloma Press, 2010.
Last change 09/06/2018 17:47