IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/nbr/nberwo/12343.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Competing With the NYSE

Author

Listed:
  • William O. Brown, Jr.
  • J. Harold Mulherin
  • Marc D. Weidenmier

Abstract

We study the stock exchange rivalry between the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Consolidated Stock Exchange (Consolidated) from 1885 to 1926 using a new database of bid-ask spreads and stock data collected from The New York Times and other primary sources. The magnitude of this important, but largely forgotten rivalry was substantial. From 1885 to 1895, the ratio of Consolidated to NYSE volume averaged 40 percent and reached as high as 60 percent. The market share of the Consolidated averaged 23 percent for approximately 40 years. The Consolidated focused on the relatively liquid securities on the NYSE as measured by bid-ask spreads and trading volume. Our results suggest that NYSE bid-ask spreads fell by more than 10 percent when the Consolidated began to trade NYSE stocks while bid-ask spreads for our quasicontrol group of stocks trading on the Boston Stock Exchange remain unchanged. The effect persisted over the entire history of the stock market rivalry until a series of scandals and investigations of the Consolidated by state regulators led to the demise of the exchange in the 1920s. The analysis suggests three conclusions: (1) the NYSE has faced significant long-run competition (2) the NYSE may be susceptible to a similar level of competition in the future and (3) that the Consolidated may have improved the efficiency of stock prices by contributing to the price discovery process.

Suggested Citation

  • William O. Brown, Jr. & J. Harold Mulherin & Marc D. Weidenmier, 2006. "Competing With the NYSE," NBER Working Papers 12343, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:12343
    Note: AP CF DAE
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.nber.org/papers/w12343.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. George J. Stigler, 1963. "Public Regulation of the Securities Markets," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 37, pages 117-117.
    2. Wahal, Sunil, 1997. "Entry, Exit, Market Makers, and the Bid-Ask Spread," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 10(3), pages 871-901.
    3. Jarrell, Gregg A, 1984. "Change at the Exchange: The Causes and Effects of Deregulation," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 27(2), pages 273-312, October.
    4. Battalio, Robert H, 1997. "Third Market Broker-Dealers: Cost Competitors or Cream Skimmers?," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 52(1), pages 341-352, March.
    5. repec:rus:hseeco:72158 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. John Rust & George Hall, 2003. "Middlemen versus Market Makers: A Theory of Competitive Exchange," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 111(2), pages 353-403, April.
    7. Harold Demsetz, 1968. "The Cost of Transacting," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 82(1), pages 33-53.
    8. Macey, Jonathan R & O'Hara, Maureen, 1999. "Regulating Exchanges and Alternative Trading Systems: A Law and Economics Perspective," The Journal of Legal Studies, University of Chicago Press, vol. 28(1), pages 17-54, January.
    9. Easley, David & Kiefer, Nicholas M & O'Hara, Maureen, 1996. "Cream-Skimming or Profit-Sharing? The Curious Role of Purchased Order Flow," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 51(3), pages 811-833, July.
    10. Seha M. Tinic, 1972. "The Economics of Liquidity Services," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 86(1), pages 79-93.
    11. Branch, Ben & Freed, Walter, 1977. "Bid-Asked Spreads on the Amex and the Big Board," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 32(1), pages 159-163, March.
    12. Michael J. Barclay & Terrence Hendershott & D. Timothy McCormick, 2003. "Competition among Trading Venues: Information and Trading on Electronic Communications Networks," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 58(6), pages 2637-2665, December.
    13. Hamilton, James L, 1978. "Marketplace Organization and Marketability: NASDAQ, the Stock Exchange, and the National Market System," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 33(2), pages 487-503, May.
    14. Boehmer, Beatrice & Boehmer, Ekkehart, 2003. "Trading your neighbor's ETFs: Competition or fragmentation?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 27(9), pages 1667-1703, September.
    15. Christie, William G & Schultz, Paul H, 1994. "Why Do NASDAQ Market Makers Avoid Odd-Eighth Quotes?," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 49(5), pages 1813-1840, December.
    16. Stigler, George J., 2011. "Economics of Information," Ekonomicheskaya Politika / Economic Policy, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, vol. 5, pages 35-49.
    17. Michael J. Barclay & Terrence Hendershott & D. Timothy McCormick, 2003. "Competition among Trading Venues: Information and Trading on Electronic Communications Networks," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 58(6), pages 2637-2666, December.
    18. Silber, William L., 2005. "What happened to liquidity when world war I shut the NYSE?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(3), pages 685-701, December.
    19. George Garvy, 1944. "Rivals and Interlopers in the History of the New York Security Market," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 52(2), pages 128-128.
    20. Tinic, Seha M. & West, Richard R., 1972. "Competition and the Pricing of Dealer Service in the Over-the-Counter Stock Market," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 7(3), pages 1707-1727, June.
    21. Battalio, Robert & Greene, Jason & Jennings, Robert, 1997. "Do Competing Specialists and Preferencing Dealers Affect Market Quality?," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 10(4), pages 969-993.
    22. Chowdhry, Bhagwan & Nanda, Vikram, 1991. "Multimarket Trading and Market Liquidity," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 4(3), pages 483-511.
    23. Easley, David, et al, 1996. "Liquidity, Information, and Infrequently Traded Stocks," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 51(4), pages 1405-1436, September.
    24. Hasan, Iftekhar & Malkamaki, Markku, 2001. "Are expansions cost effective for stock exchanges? A global perspective," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 25(12), pages 2339-2366, December.
    25. Hamilton, James L, 1987. "Off-Board Trading of NYSE-Listed Stocks: The Effects of Degregulation and the National Market System," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 42(5), pages 1331-1345, December.
    26. Sofia B. Ramos, 2003. "Competition Between Stock Exchanges: A Survey," FAME Research Paper Series rp77, International Center for Financial Asset Management and Engineering.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Asaf Bernstein & Eric Hughson & Marc D. Weidenmier, 2008. "Can a Lender of Last Resort Stabilize Financial Markets? Lessons from the Founding of the Fed," NBER Working Papers 14422, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Asaf Bernstein & Eric Hughson & Marc D. Weidenmier, 2014. "Counterparty Risk and the Establishment of the New York Stock Exchange Clearinghouse," NBER Working Papers 20459, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Moser, Petra, 2012. "Taste-based discrimination evidence from a shift in ethnic preferences after WWI," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 49(2), pages 167-188.
    4. Bernstein, Asaf & Hughson, Eric & Weidenmier, Marc D., 2010. "Identifying the effects of a lender of last resort on financial markets: Lessons from the founding of the fed," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(1), pages 40-53, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kedia, Simi & Zhou, Xing, 2011. "Local market makers, liquidity and market quality," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 14(4), pages 540-567, November.
    2. Degryse, H.A., 2007. "Competition on financial markets : Does market design matter?," Other publications TiSEM ee5530b2-34f7-4d95-ad62-f, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    3. Michael Goldstein & Andriy Shkilko & Bonnie Ness & Robert Ness, 2010. "Inter-market competition for NYSE-listed securities under decimals," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 35(4), pages 371-391, November.
    4. Peter Gomber & Satchit Sagade & Erik Theissen & Moritz Christian Weber & Christian Westheide, 2017. "Competition Between Equity Markets: A Review Of The Consolidation Versus Fragmentation Debate," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(3), pages 792-814, July.
    5. Bollen, Nicolas P. B. & Smith, Tom & Whaley, Robert E., 2004. "Modeling the bid/ask spread: measuring the inventory-holding premium," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(1), pages 97-141, April.
    6. Carole Gresse, 2017. "Effects of Lit and Dark Market Fragmentation on Liquidity," Post-Print hal-01631771, HAL.
    7. Hatch, Brian C. & Johnson, Shane A., 2002. "The impact of specialist firm acquisitions on market quality," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(1), pages 139-167, October.
    8. Biais, Bruno & Glosten, Larry & Spatt, Chester, 2005. "Market microstructure: A survey of microfoundations, empirical results, and policy implications," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 8(2), pages 217-264, May.
    9. Gresse, Carole, 2017. "Effects of lit and dark market fragmentation on liquidity," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 1-20.
    10. Carole Gresse, 2011. "Effects of Lit and Dark Market Fragmentation on Liquidity," Post-Print halshs-00641122, HAL.
    11. Dirk Schiereck & Christian Voigt, 2010. "With or without you: market quality of floor trading when screen trading closes early," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 34(2), pages 179-197, February.
    12. Thierry Foucault & Albert J. Menkveld, 2008. "Competition for Order Flow and Smart Order Routing Systems," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 63(1), pages 119-158, February.
    13. Degryse, H.A. & de Jong, F.C.J.M. & van Kervel, V.L., 2011. "The Impact of Dark and Visible Fragmentation on Market Quality (Replaces EBC Discussion Paper 2011-013)," Other publications TiSEM 3ff46941-c3ff-4ba4-9a5b-d, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    14. Lipson, Marc L. & Mortal, Sandra, 2006. "The effect of stock splits on clientele: Is tick size relevant?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 12(5), pages 878-896, December.
    15. Degryse, H.A. & de Jong, F.C.J.M. & van Kervel, V.L., 2011. "The Impact of Dark and Visible Fragmentation on Market Quality (Replaces CentER Discussion Paper 2011-051)," Other publications TiSEM f9895511-3b4b-4db5-bf34-1, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    16. Boehmer, Ekkehart, 2005. "Dimensions of execution quality: Recent evidence for US equity markets," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 78(3), pages 553-582, December.
    17. Fink, Jason & Fink, Kristin E. & Weston, James P., 2006. "Competition on the Nasdaq and the growth of electronic communication networks," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 30(9), pages 2537-2559, September.
    18. Suchismita Mishra & Le Zhao, 2021. "Order Routing Decisions for a Fragmented Market: A Review," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-32, November.
    19. Datar, Vinay T. & Y. Naik, Narayan & Radcliffe, Robert, 1998. "Liquidity and stock returns: An alternative test," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 1(2), pages 203-219, August.
    20. Kohler, Alexander & von Wyss, Rico, 2012. "Fragmentation in European Equity Markets and Market Quality – Evidence from the Analysis of Trade-Throughs," Working Papers on Finance 1210, University of St. Gallen, School of Finance.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • G1 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets
    • G2 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services
    • N2 - Economic History - - Financial Markets and Institutions

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:12343. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: the person in charge (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/nberrus.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.