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On the distribution and estimation of trading costs

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  • Kourtis, Apostolos

Abstract

This paper investigates the uncertainty about the trading costs associated with a given portfolio strategy. I derive accurate approximations of the ex ante probability distributions of proportional trading costs and portfolio turnover under the conventional assumption of normal asset returns. Based on these approximations, I express the expected trading costs as a function of asset and portfolio characteristics. All else equal, the expected trading costs increase with: i) the deviations of the expected asset returns from the expected portfolio return, ii) the assets' volatility and iii) the portfolio volatility. At the same time, they decrease with the covariance between the assets and the portfolio. Furthermore, I propose novel estimators of the expected turnover and trading costs and show that they offer small bias and low variance, even when the sample size is small. Finally, I incorporate my results into a portfolio selection framework to produce portfolios with low levels of risk and trading costs. Several experiments with real and simulated data confirm the practical value of the results.

Suggested Citation

  • Kourtis, Apostolos, 2014. "On the distribution and estimation of trading costs," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 104-117.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:empfin:v:28:y:2014:i:c:p:104-117
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jempfin.2014.06.005
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    Cited by:

    1. Apostolos Kourtis & Raphael N. Markellos & Lazaros Symeonidis, 2016. "An International Comparison of Implied, Realized, and GARCH Volatility Forecasts," Journal of Futures Markets, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(12), pages 1164-1193, December.
    2. Symitsi, Efthymia & Symeonidis, Lazaros & Kourtis, Apostolos & Markellos, Raphael, 2018. "Covariance forecasting in equity markets," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 153-168.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Portfolio selection; Rebalancing; Portfolio turnover; Transaction costs;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C13 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Estimation: General
    • C51 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Model Construction and Estimation
    • C61 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Optimization Techniques; Programming Models; Dynamic Analysis
    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions

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