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Tiny trades, big questions: Fractional shares

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  • Bartlett, Robert P.
  • McCrary, Justin
  • O'Hara, Maureen

Abstract

This paper investigates fractional share trading. We develop a latency-based method for identifying a large sample of fractional share trades. We find that high-priced stocks, meme stocks, IPOs, SPACs, and popular retail stocks exhibit considerable numbers of these tiny trades. We surmise that this reflects dollar-based order entry, with many tiny trades being fractional components of larger orders. We show that our fractional trade measure is predictive of future liquidity and volatility, suggesting a new metric to capture the information in retail trades. We identify how data and reporting protocols preclude knowing the extent of fractional share trading, inflate volume data, and provide censured samples of these off-exchange trades.

Suggested Citation

  • Bartlett, Robert P. & McCrary, Justin & O'Hara, Maureen, 2024. "Tiny trades, big questions: Fractional shares," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfinec:v:157:y:2024:i:c:s0304405x2400059x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jfineco.2024.103836
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Brad M. Barber & Terrance Odean & Ning Zhu, 2009. "Do Retail Trades Move Markets?," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 22(1), pages 151-186, January.
    2. Thierry Foucault & David Sraer & David J. Thesmar, 2011. "Individual Investors and Volatility," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 66(4), pages 1369-1406, August.
    3. Maureen O'Hara & Chen Yao & Mao Ye, 2014. "What's Not There: Odd Lots and Market Data," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 69(5), pages 2199-2236, October.
    4. Bartlett, Robert P. & McCrary, Justin, 2019. "How rigged are stock markets? Evidence from microsecond timestamps," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 37-60.
    5. David Hirshleifer & Siew Hong Teoh, 2003. "Herd Behaviour and Cascading in Capital Markets: a Review and Synthesis," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 9(1), pages 25-66, March.
    6. Jiafeng Chen & Jonathan Roth, 2024. "Logs with Zeros? Some Problems and Solutions," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 139(2), pages 891-936.
    7. Ekkehart Boehmer & Charles M. Jones & Xiaoyan Zhang & Xinran Zhang, 2021. "Tracking Retail Investor Activity," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 76(5), pages 2249-2305, October.
    8. Lee, Charles M. C. & Radhakrishna, Balkrishna, 2000. "Inferring investor behavior: Evidence from TORQ data," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 3(2), pages 83-111, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Fractional shares; Retail trade; Robinhood trading; FINRA; Trade reporting;
    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

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