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Connecting Disconnected Financial Markets?

Author

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  • Milena Wittwer

Abstract

In most financial markets, securities are traded in isolation. Such a disconnected market design can be inefficient if agents trade more than one security. I assess welfare effects of connecting markets by allowing orders for one security to depend on prices of other securities. I show that everyone trades identical amounts under both market structures if and only if the clearing prices are perfectly correlated or all are price-takers. Prices in disconnected markets might allow strategic traders to extract higher rents from nonstrategic traders. In expectation, connected markets generate higher welfare, but all markets become efficient as they grow large.

Suggested Citation

  • Milena Wittwer, 2021. "Connecting Disconnected Financial Markets?," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 13(1), pages 252-282, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejmic:v:13:y:2021:i:1:p:252-82
    DOI: 10.1257/mic.20180314
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Suchismita Mishra & Le Zhao, 2021. "Order Routing Decisions for a Fragmented Market: A Review," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-32, November.
    2. Huangfu, Bingchao & Liu, Heng, 2025. "Information spillover in markets with heterogeneous traders," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).
    3. Pär Holmberg & Keith Ruddell & Bert Willems, 2025. "Multi-product supply function equilibria," Working Papers EPRG2522, Energy Policy Research Group, Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge.
    4. Anthropelos, Michail & Kardaras, Constantinos, 2024. "Price impact under heterogeneous beliefs and restricted participation," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).
    5. Eric Budish & Peter Cramton & Albert S. Kyle & Jeongmin Lee & David Malec, 2022. "Flow Trading," ECONtribute Discussion Papers Series 146, University of Bonn and University of Cologne, Germany.
      • Eric Budish & Peter Cramton & Albert S. Kyle & Jeongmin Lee & David Malec, 2023. "Flow Trading," NBER Working Papers 31098, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Jin-Wook Chang & Elizabeth C. Klee & Vladimir Yankov, 2025. "Rewiring repo," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2025-013, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    7. Jason Allen & Jakub Kastl & Milena Wittwer, 2020. "Maturity Composition and the Demand for Government Debt," Staff Working Papers 20-29, Bank of Canada.
    8. Marzena Rostek & Ji Hee Yoon, 2021. "Exchange Design and Efficiency," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 89(6), pages 2887-2928, November.
    9. Jason Allen & Milena Wittwer, 2023. "Intermediary Market Power and Capital Constraints," Staff Working Papers 23-51, Bank of Canada.
    10. Marjit, Sugata & Das, Gouranga G. & Yang, Lei, 2025. "The role of finance in production and international trade," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 75(PA).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D44 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Auctions
    • D47 - Microeconomics - - Market Structure, Pricing, and Design - - - Market Design
    • G10 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)
    • H82 - Public Economics - - Miscellaneous Issues - - - Governmental Property

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