Race to the Center: Competition for the Nikkei 225 Futures Trade

Author/Editor:

Takatoshi Ito ; Wen-Ling Lin

Publication Date:

October 1, 1996

Disclaimer: This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF.The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate

Summary:

This paper examines the impact of changes in margin requirements on returns, transaction volumes, and price volatility of Nikkei 225 futures on the Osaka Securities Exchange (OSE) and the Singapore International Monetary Exchange (SIMEX). An increase in margin requirement on one exchange is shown to reduce trading volume in the implementing exchange and to shift trade to the competing exchange. Price volatility or returns are not systematically affected by changes in margin requirements. The loss of OSE’s market share of Nikkei futures trade is partly due to the increased transactions costs (relative to SIMEX), including the margin requirement.

Series:

Working Paper No. 1996/117

Subject:

Arbitrage Commodities Currencies Financial institutions Financial markets Futures Futures markets Money Stock markets

English

Publication Date:

October 1, 1996

ISBN/ISSN:

9781451941579/1018-5941

Stock No:

WPIEA1171996

Pages:

50

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