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Short sales and put options: Where is the bad news first traded?

Author

Listed:
  • Hao, Xiaoting
  • Lee, Eunju
  • Piqueira, Natalia

Abstract

Although the literature provides strong evidence supporting the presence of informed trading in both the option and the short equity markets, it is not clear which market attracts more informed trading. Using a unique dataset that covers intraday transaction data in the option and short equity markets, we investigate informed trading in a cross-market environment by explicitly studying the lead–lag relationship between the put net trade volume and short sales of the underlying stock. Our high frequency analysis shows that in general short sales contain more information. However, put options become more informative before the release of negative earnings announcements.

Suggested Citation

  • Hao, Xiaoting & Lee, Eunju & Piqueira, Natalia, 2013. "Short sales and put options: Where is the bad news first traded?," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 16(2), pages 308-330.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finmar:v:16:y:2013:i:2:p:308-330
    DOI: 10.1016/j.finmar.2012.09.005
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Hsu, Chih-Hsiang, 2016. "Strategic noise trading of later-informed traders in a multi-market framework," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 235-243.
    2. Yi‐Wei Chuang & Wei‐Che Tsai & Pei‐Shih Weng & Chi Yin, 2021. "Do put warrants unwind short‐sale restrictions? Further evidence from the Taiwan Stock Exchange," Journal of Futures Markets, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(3), pages 325-348, March.
    3. Kelley Bergsma & Andy Fodor & Vijay Singal & Jitendra Tayal, 2020. "Option trading after the opening bell and intraday stock return predictability," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 49(3), pages 769-804, September.
    4. Rourke, Thomas, 2014. "The delta- and vega-related information content of near-the-money option market trading activity," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 20(C), pages 175-193.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Put option; Short sales; Informed trading; Earnings announcements;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading

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