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The Volcker Rule and corporate bond market making in times of stress

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  • Bao, Jack
  • O’Hara, Maureen
  • (Alex) Zhou, Xing

Abstract

Focusing on downgrades as stress events that drive the selling of corporate bonds, we show that the illiquidity of stressed bonds has increased after the Volcker Rule. Dealers regulated by the rule have curtailed their market-making activities and non-Volcker-affected dealers have not offset the decreased activities of Volcker-affected dealers. Furthermore, even Volcker-affected dealers that are not constrained by Basel III and Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review regulations change their behavior, inconsistent with the effects being driven by these other regulations. Because Volcker-affected dealers have been the main liquidity providers, bonds have become less liquid during times of stress due to the Volcker Rule.

Suggested Citation

  • Bao, Jack & O’Hara, Maureen & (Alex) Zhou, Xing, 2018. "The Volcker Rule and corporate bond market making in times of stress," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(1), pages 95-113.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfinec:v:130:y:2018:i:1:p:95-113
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jfineco.2018.06.001
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Volcker Rule; Corporate bond illiquidity; Regulation; Capital commitment; Dealer inventory; Market making;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G23 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Non-bank Financial Institutions; Financial Instruments; Institutional Investors
    • G24 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Investment Banking; Venture Capital; Brokerage
    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation

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