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Market microstructure matters when imposing a Tobin tax—Evidence from the lab

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  • Kirchler, Michael
  • Huber, Jürgen
  • Kleinlercher, Daniel

Abstract

Trading in FX markets is dominated by two microstructures: exchanges with market makers and OTC-markets without market makers. Using laboratory experiments we test whether the impact of a Tobin tax is different in these two market microstructures. We find that (i) in markets without market makers an unilaterally imposed Tobin tax (i.e. a tax haven exists) increases volatility. (ii) In contrast, in markets with market makers we observe a decrease in volatility in unilaterally taxed markets. (iii) An encompassing Tobin tax has no impact on volatility in either setting. Efficiency does not vary significantly across tax regimes.

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  • Kirchler, Michael & Huber, Jürgen & Kleinlercher, Daniel, 2011. "Market microstructure matters when imposing a Tobin tax—Evidence from the lab," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 80(3), pages 586-602.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:80:y:2011:i:3:p:586-602
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2011.06.001
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    Cited by:

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    2. Giovanni Ferri & Matteo Ploner & Matteo Rizzolli, 2016. "Count To Ten Before Trading: Evidence On The Role Of Deliberation In Experimental Financial Markets," CERBE Working Papers wpC07, CERBE Center for Relationship Banking and Economics.
    3. Sirnes Espen, 2022. "Estimating the Effect of Transaction Costs Using the Tick Size as a Proxy," Review of Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 73(1), pages 57-77, April.
    4. Holmen, Martin & Kirchler, Michael & Kleinlercher, Daniel, 2014. "Do option-like incentives induce overvaluation? Evidence from experimental asset markets," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 179-194.
    5. Praveen Kujal & Owen Powell, 2017. "Bubbles in Experimental Asset Markets," Working Papers 17-01, Chapman University, Economic Science Institute.
    6. Fontini, Fulvio & Sartori, Elena & Tolotti, Marco, 2016. "Are transaction taxes a cause of financial instability?," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 450(C), pages 57-70.
    7. Thomas Stöckl & Jürgen Huber & Michael Kirchler, 2015. "Multi-period experimental asset markets with distinct fundamental value regimes," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 18(2), pages 314-334, June.
    8. John Duffy & Jean Paul Rabanal & Olga A. Rud, 2022. "Market experiments with multiple assets: A survey," Chapters, in: Sascha Füllbrunn & Ernan Haruvy (ed.), Handbook of Experimental Finance, chapter 18, pages 213-224, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    9. Jürgen Huber & Michael Kirchler & Daniel Kleinlercher & Matthias Sutter, 2017. "Market versus Residence Principle: Experimental Evidence on the Effects of a Financial Transaction Tax," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 127(605), pages 610-631, October.
    10. Charles N. Noussair & Steven Tucker, 2013. "Experimental Research On Asset Pricing," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(3), pages 554-569, July.
    11. Bousselmi, Wael & Sentis, Patrick & Willinger, Marc, 2019. "How do markets react to (un)expected fundamental value shocks? An experimental analysis," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 90-113.
    12. Yin, Zhichao & Peng, Hongfeng & Xiao, Weiguo & Xiao, Zumian, 2022. "Capital control and monetary policy coordination: Tobin tax revisited," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    13. Andrea Morone & Pasquale Marcello Falcone & Simone Nuzzo & Piergiuseppe Morone, 2020. "Does a ‘financial transaction tax’ drive out information mirages? An experimental analysis," Journal of Economic Interaction and Coordination, Springer;Society for Economic Science with Heterogeneous Interacting Agents, vol. 15(4), pages 793-820, October.
    14. Ferri, Giovanni & Ploner, Matteo & Rizzolli, Matteo, 2021. "Trading fast and slow: The role of deliberation in experimental financial markets," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 32(C).
    15. Lendvai, Julia & Raciborski, Rafal & Vogel, Lukas, 2013. "Macroeconomic effects of an equity transaction tax in a general-equilibrium model," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 466-482.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Tobin tax; Market makers; Double-auction; Dealership market; Experiment; Volatility; Market efficiency; Foreign exchange;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • F31 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Foreign Exchange
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G15 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - International Financial Markets

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