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Price discrimination against retail Investors: Evidence from mini options

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  • Li, Yubin
  • Zhao, Chen
  • Zhong, Zhaodong

Abstract

This paper studies the rise and fall of “Mini” options that are especially catered to retail investors for popular but high-priced securities. Using transaction-level data, we find that transaction costs of Mini options are much higher than those of standard options and the difference cannot be fully explained by cost-related determinants. Furthermore, we find evidence of price discrimination against retail investors from analyses of price elasticities of option traders, an event-study of changes in bid-ask spreads around earnings announcements, and comparisons of trade prices paid by Mini and standard option traders for the same security at approximately the same time.

Suggested Citation

  • Li, Yubin & Zhao, Chen & Zhong, Zhaodong, 2019. "Price discrimination against retail Investors: Evidence from mini options," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 50-64.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbfina:v:106:y:2019:i:c:p:50-64
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbankfin.2019.05.012
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    Cited by:

    1. Li, Yubin & Zhao, Chen & Zhong, Zhaodong (Ken), 2021. "Trading behavior of retail investors in derivatives markets: Evidence from Mini options," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    2. Tian, Geran & Wang, Xiaowen & Wu, Weixing, 2021. "Borrow low, lend high: Credit arbitrage by sophisticated investors," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    3. Tian, Geran & Wu, Weixing, 2023. "Big data pricing in marketplace lending and price discrimination against repeat borrowers: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Options; Retail investors; Price discrimination; Liquidity; Earnings announcements;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D23 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Organizational Behavior; Transaction Costs; Property Rights
    • G10 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)
    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G13 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Contingent Pricing; Futures Pricing
    • G23 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Non-bank Financial Institutions; Financial Instruments; Institutional Investors

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