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Complexity of ECB communication and financial market trading

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  • Hayo, Bernd
  • Henseler, Kai
  • Steffen Rapp, Marc
  • Zahner, Johannes

Abstract

We empirically examine how the complexity of ECB communications affects financial market trading based on high-frequency data from European stock index futures trading between 2009 and 2017. Analysing the linguistic complexity of the ECB’s introductory statements and differentiating between press conferences with and without announcements of unconventional monetary policy measures (UMPM), we find that more complex communication, i.e. high linguistic complexity and UMPM-announcement, is associated with a lower level of contemporaneous trading activity. Moreover, complex communication leads to a temporal shift in trading activity towards the subsequent Q&A session, which suggests that Q&A sessions facilitate market participants’ information processing.

Suggested Citation

  • Hayo, Bernd & Henseler, Kai & Steffen Rapp, Marc & Zahner, Johannes, 2022. "Complexity of ECB communication and financial market trading," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jimfin:v:128:y:2022:i:c:s0261560622001127
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jimonfin.2022.102709
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    Cited by:

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    5. Hugo Oriola & Matthieu Picault, 2023. "Opportunistic Political Central Bank Coverage: Does media coverage of ECB's Monetary Policy Impacts German Political Parties' Popularity?," EconomiX Working Papers 2023-30, University of Paris Nanterre, EconomiX.
    6. Fischer, Lion & Rapp, Marc Steffen & Zahner, Johannes, 2024. "Central banks sowing the seeds for a green financial sector? NGFS membership and market reactions," IMFS Working Paper Series 198, Goethe University Frankfurt, Institute for Monetary and Financial Stability (IMFS).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    ECB; Central bank communication; Textual analysis; Linguistic complexity; Readability; Financial markets; European stock markets;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies
    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading

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