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City goes dark: Dark trading and adverse selection in aggregate markets

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  • Ibikunle, Gbenga
  • Aquilina, Matteo
  • Diaz-Rainey, Ivan
  • Sun, Yuxin

Abstract

We investigate the impact of dark trading on adverse selection in an aggregate market for trading UK stocks. Dark trading is linked to lower adverse selection risk and improved informational efficiency and liquidity in the aggregate market, even as liquidity declines in the lit market with dark trading. However, there is a trading value-based threshold when dark trading starts to induce adverse selection. We estimate that this threshold varies from around 9% for the most liquid stocks to 25% for the least liquid stocks. The overall average threshold for the 288 FTSE 350 stocks in our sample is 14%.

Suggested Citation

  • Ibikunle, Gbenga & Aquilina, Matteo & Diaz-Rainey, Ivan & Sun, Yuxin, 2021. "City goes dark: Dark trading and adverse selection in aggregate markets," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 1-22.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:empfin:v:64:y:2021:i:c:p:1-22
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jempfin.2021.08.002
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    Cited by:

    1. Ibikunle, Gbenga & Li, Youwei & Mare, Davide & Sun, Yuxin, 2021. "Dark matters: The effects of dark trading restrictions on liquidity and informational efficiency," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    2. Ibikunle, Gbenga & Rzayev, Khaladdin, 2023. "Volatility and dark trading: Evidence from the Covid-19 pandemic," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 55(4).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Dark pools; Adverse selection; Market liquidity; Pricing noise; Informational efficiency;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G10 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G15 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - International Financial Markets

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