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The Price Effects of Liquidity Shocks: A Study of SEC’s Tick-Size Experiment

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  • Albuquerque, Rui
  • Song, Shiyun
  • Yao, Chen

Abstract

This paper studies the SEC’s pilot program that increased the tick size for approximately 1,200 randomly chosen stocks. We provide causal evidence of a negative impact of a larger tick size on stock prices equivalent to roughly $7 billion investor loss. We investigate direct and indirect effects of the tick size change on stock prices. We find that treated stocks experience a reduction in liquidity, but find no significant change in liquidity risk. Test stocks experience a decline in price efficiency consistent with an increase in information risk. The evidence suggests that trading frictions affect the cost of capital.

Suggested Citation

  • Albuquerque, Rui & Song, Shiyun & Yao, Chen, 2017. "The Price Effects of Liquidity Shocks: A Study of SEC’s Tick-Size Experiment," CEPR Discussion Papers 12486, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:12486
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    Cited by:

    1. Griffith, Todd G. & Roseman, Brian S., 2019. "Making cents of tick sizes: The effect of the 2016 U.S. SEC tick size pilot on limit order book liquidity," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 104-121.
    2. Chung, Kee H. & Lee, Albert J. & Rösch, Dominik, 2020. "Tick size, liquidity for small and large orders, and price informativeness: Evidence from the Tick Size Pilot Program," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(3), pages 879-899.
    3. Acharya, Viral V. & Pedersen, Lasse Heje, 2019. "Economics with Market Liquidity Risk," Critical Finance Review, now publishers, vol. 8(1-2), pages 111-125, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Tick size pilot program; Liquidity; Price efficiency; News response rate; Liquidity risk; Liquidity premium; Information risk; Investor horizon; Jobs act;
    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

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