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High-Frequency Technical Trading: The Importance of Speed

Author

Listed:
  • Martin Scholtus

    (Erasmus University Rotterdam)

  • Dick van Dijk

    (Erasmus University Rotterdam)

Abstract

This paper investigates the importance of speed for technical trading rule performance for three highly liquid ETFs listed on NASDAQ over the period January 6, 2009 up to September 30, 2009. In addition we examine the characteristics of market activity over the day and within subperiods corresponding to hours, minutes, and seconds. Speed has a clear impact on the return of technical trading rules. For strategies that yield a positive return when they experience no delay, a delay of 200 milliseconds is enough to lower performance significantly. On low volatility days this is already the case for delays larger than 50 milliseconds. In addition, the importance of speed for trading rule performance increases over time. Market activity follows a U-shape over the day with a spike at 10:00AM due to macroeconomic announcements and is characterized by periodic activity within the day, hour, minute, and second.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Scholtus & Dick van Dijk, 2012. "High-Frequency Technical Trading: The Importance of Speed," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 12-018/4, Tinbergen Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:tin:wpaper:20120018
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    File URL: https://papers.tinbergen.nl/12018.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Adamantios Ntakaris & Juho Kanniainen & Moncef Gabbouj & Alexandros Iosifidis, 2019. "Mid-price Prediction Based on Machine Learning Methods with Technical and Quantitative Indicators," Papers 1907.09452, arXiv.org.
    2. Adamantios Ntakaris & Juho Kanniainen & Moncef Gabbouj & Alexandros Iosifidis, 2020. "Mid-price prediction based on machine learning methods with technical and quantitative indicators," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(6), pages 1-39, June.
    3. Giancarlo Salirrosas Mart'inez, 2016. "Biased Roulette Wheel: A Quantitative Trading Strategy Approach," Papers 1609.09601, arXiv.org.
    4. Scholtus, Martin & van Dijk, Dick & Frijns, Bart, 2014. "Speed, algorithmic trading, and market quality around macroeconomic news announcements," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 89-105.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Technical Trading; High-Frequency Trading; Latency Costs; Trading Speed; Market Activity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G10 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G20 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - General

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