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Optimal Transaction Filters Under Transitory Trading Opportunities: Theory and Empirical Illustration

Author

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  • Ronald J. Balvers

    (West Virginia University)

  • Yangru Wu

    (Rutgers University, Hong Kong Institute for Monetary Research)

Abstract

If transitory profitable trading opportunities exist, filter rules are used to mitigate transaction costs. We use a dynamic programming framework to design an optimal filter which maximizes after-cost expected returns. The filter size depends crucially on the degree of persistence of trading opportunities, transaction cost, and standard deviation of shocks. Applying our theory to daily dollar-yen exchange trading, we find that the optimal filter can be economically significantly different from a naive filter equal to the transaction cost. The candidate trading strategies generate positive returns that disappear after accounting for transaction costs. However, when the optimal filter is used, returns after costs remain positive and are higher than for naive filters.

Suggested Citation

  • Ronald J. Balvers & Yangru Wu, 2005. "Optimal Transaction Filters Under Transitory Trading Opportunities: Theory and Empirical Illustration," Working Papers 022005, Hong Kong Institute for Monetary Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:hkm:wpaper:022005
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    2. Kozhan, Roman & Salmon, Mark, 2012. "The information content of a limit order book: The case of an FX market," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 1-28.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Transaction Costs; Filter Rules; Trading Strategies; Foreign Exchange;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G10 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)
    • G15 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - International Financial Markets
    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions

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