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Should Speculators Be Taxed?

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  • Dow, James
  • Rahi, Rohit

Abstract

A number of economists have supported the taxation of speculation in financial markets. We examine the welfare economics of such a tax in a model of a financial market where some agents have superior information and others have a hedging motive. We show that a tax on speculators may actually increase speculative profits. This occurs if the speculators' benefit from less-informative prices offsets the cost of the tax. The effect on the welfare of other agents depends on how information revelation changes risk-sharing opportunities. It is possible for the introduction of a tax to cause a Pareto improvement. Copyright 2000 by University of Chicago Press.

Suggested Citation

  • Dow, James & Rahi, Rohit, 2000. "Should Speculators Be Taxed?," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 73(1), pages 89-107, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jnlbus:v:73:y:2000:i:1:p:89-107
    DOI: 10.1086/209633
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jean-Charles Rochet & Jean-Luc Vila, 1994. "Insider Trading without Normality," Review of Economic Studies, Oxford University Press, vol. 61(1), pages 131-152.
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G18 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • D60 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - General

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