IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/arx/papers/1108.1632.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Why is order flow so persistent?

Author

Listed:
  • Bence Toth
  • Imon Palit
  • Fabrizio Lillo
  • J. Doyne Farmer

Abstract

Order flow in equity markets is remarkably persistent in the sense that order signs (to buy or sell) are positively autocorrelated out to time lags of tens of thousands of orders, corresponding to many days. Two possible explanations are herding, corresponding to positive correlation in the behavior of different investors, or order splitting, corresponding to positive autocorrelation in the behavior of single investors. We investigate this using order flow data from the London Stock Exchange for which we have membership identifiers. By formulating models for herding and order splitting, as well as models for brokerage choice, we are able to overcome the distortion introduced by brokerage. On timescales of less than a few hours the persistence of order flow is overwhelmingly due to splitting rather than herding. We also study the properties of brokerage order flow and show that it is remarkably consistent both cross-sectionally and longitudinally.

Suggested Citation

  • Bence Toth & Imon Palit & Fabrizio Lillo & J. Doyne Farmer, 2011. "Why is order flow so persistent?," Papers 1108.1632, arXiv.org, revised Nov 2014.
    • Handle: RePEc:arx:papers:1108.1632
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://arxiv.org/pdf/1108.1632
    File Function: Latest version
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jean-Philippe Bouchaud & Yuval Gefen & Marc Potters & Matthieu Wyart, 2003. "Fluctuations and response in financial markets: the subtle nature of `random' price changes," Papers cond-mat/0307332, arXiv.org, revised Aug 2003.
    2. Lakonishok, Josef & Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert W., 1992. "The impact of institutional trading on stock prices," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 23-43, August.
    3. Jean-Philippe Bouchaud & Yuval Gefen & Marc Potters & Matthieu Wyart, 2004. "Fluctuations and response in financial markets: the subtle nature of 'random' price changes," Quantitative Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 4(2), pages 176-190.
    4. Rama Cont & Jean-Philippe Bouchaud, 1997. "Herd behavior and aggregate fluctuations in financial markets," Science & Finance (CFM) working paper archive 500028, Science & Finance, Capital Fund Management.
    5. R. Yamamoto & B. LeBaron, 2010. "Order-splitting and long-memory in an order-driven market," The European Physical Journal B: Condensed Matter and Complex Systems, Springer;EDP Sciences, vol. 73(1), pages 51-57, January.
    6. Ding, Zhuanxin & Granger, Clive W. J. & Engle, Robert F., 1993. "A long memory property of stock market returns and a new model," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 1(1), pages 83-106, June.
    7. Orlean, Andre, 1995. "Bayesian interactions and collective dynamics of opinion: Herd behavior and mimetic contagion," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 257-274, October.
    8. Biais, Bruno & Hillion, Pierre & Spatt, Chester, 1995. "An Empirical Analysis of the Limit Order Book and the Order Flow in the Paris Bourse," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 50(5), pages 1655-1689, December.
    9. Kirman Alan & Teyssière Gilles, 2002. "Microeconomic Models for Long Memory in the Volatility of Financial Time Series," Studies in Nonlinear Dynamics & Econometrics, De Gruyter, vol. 5(4), pages 1-23, January.
    10. Jean-Philippe Bouchaud & Julien Kockelkoren & Marc Potters, 2006. "Random walks, liquidity molasses and critical response in financial markets," Quantitative Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(2), pages 115-123.
    11. Hens, Thorsten & Schenk-Hoppe, Klaus Reiner (ed.), 2009. "Handbook of Financial Markets: Dynamics and Evolution," Elsevier Monographs, Elsevier, edition 1, number 9780123742582.
    12. F. Lillo & Szabolcs Mike & J. Doyne Farmer, 2004. "A theory for long-memory in supply and demand," Papers cond-mat/0412708, arXiv.org, revised Mar 2005.
    13. Lillo Fabrizio & Farmer J. Doyne, 2004. "The Long Memory of the Efficient Market," Studies in Nonlinear Dynamics & Econometrics, De Gruyter, vol. 8(3), pages 1-35, September.
    14. Jean-Philippe Bouchaud & J. Doyne Farmer & Fabrizio Lillo, 2008. "How markets slowly digest changes in supply and demand," Papers 0809.0822, arXiv.org.
    15. Abhijit V. Banerjee, 1993. "The Economics of Rumours," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 60(2), pages 309-327.
    16. Iori, Giulia, 2002. "A microsimulation of traders activity in the stock market: the role of heterogeneity, agents' interactions and trade frictions," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 49(2), pages 269-285, October.
    17. Cont, Rama & Bouchaud, Jean-Philipe, 2000. "Herd Behavior And Aggregate Fluctuations In Financial Markets," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 4(2), pages 170-196, June.
    18. Barabási, Albert-László & Albert, Réka & Jeong, Hawoong, 1999. "Mean-field theory for scale-free random networks," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 272(1), pages 173-187.
    19. B. Tóth & Z. Eisler & F. Lillo & J. Kockelkoren & J.-P. Bouchaud & J.D. Farmer, 2012. "How does the market react to your order flow?," Quantitative Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(7), pages 1015-1024, May.
    20. Austin Gerig, 2008. "A Theory for Market Impact: How Order Flow Affects Stock Price," Papers 0804.3818, arXiv.org, revised Jul 2008.
    21. Andrew Ellul, 2003. "A Comprehensive Test of Order Choice Theory:Recent Evidence from the NYSE," FMG Discussion Papers dp471, Financial Markets Group.
    22. Russ Wermers, 1999. "Mutual Fund Herding and the Impact on Stock Prices," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 54(2), pages 581-622, April.
    23. J. Doyne Farmer & Austin Gerig & Fabrizio Lillo & Henri Waelbroeck, 2013. "How efficiency shapes market impact," Quantitative Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(11), pages 1743-1758, November.
    24. Kyle, Albert S, 1985. "Continuous Auctions and Insider Trading," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 53(6), pages 1315-1335, November.
    25. Bikhchandani, Sushil & Hirshleifer, David & Welch, Ivo, 1992. "A Theory of Fads, Fashion, Custom, and Cultural Change in Informational Cascades," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 100(5), pages 992-1026, October.
    26. Chan, Louis K. C. & Lakonishok, Josef, 1993. "Institutional trades and intraday stock price behavior," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 173-199, April.
    27. Chan, Louis K C & Lakonishok, Josef, 1995. "The Behavior of Stock Prices around Institutional Trades," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 50(4), pages 1147-1174, September.
    28. Blake LeBaron & Ryuichi Yamamoto, 2008. "The Impact of Imitation on Long Memory in an Order-Driven Market," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 34(4), pages 504-517.
    29. G. Tedeschi & G. Iori & M. Gallegati, 2009. "The role of communication and imitation in limit order markets," The European Physical Journal B: Condensed Matter and Complex Systems, Springer;EDP Sciences, vol. 71(4), pages 489-497, October.
    30. LeBaron, Blake & Yamamoto, Ryuichi, 2007. "Long-memory in an order-driven market," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 383(1), pages 85-89.
    31. Esteban Moro & Javier Vicente & Luis G. Moyano & Austin Gerig & J. Doyne Farmer & Gabriella Vaglica & Fabrizio Lillo & Rosario N. Mantegna, 2009. "Market impact and trading profile of large trading orders in stock markets," Papers 0908.0202, arXiv.org.
    32. Zoltan Eisler & Jean-Philippe Bouchaud & Julien Kockelkoren, 2011. "Models for the impact of all order book events," Papers 1107.3364, arXiv.org.
    33. Bence Toth & Yves Lemperiere & Cyril Deremble & Joachim de Lataillade & Julien Kockelkoren & Jean-Philippe Bouchaud, 2011. "Anomalous price impact and the critical nature of liquidity in financial markets," Papers 1105.1694, arXiv.org, revised Nov 2011.
    34. Abhijit V. Banerjee, 1992. "A Simple Model of Herd Behavior," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 107(3), pages 797-817.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Darolles, Serge & Le Fol, Gaëlle & Mero, Gulten, 2017. "Mixture of distribution hypothesis: Analyzing daily liquidity frictions and information flows," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 201(2), pages 367-383.
    2. F. Campigli & G. Bormetti & F. Lillo, 2022. "Measuring price impact and information content of trades in a time-varying setting," Papers 2212.12687, arXiv.org, revised Dec 2023.
    3. Aur'elien Alfonsi & Pierre Blanc, 2014. "Dynamic optimal execution in a mixed-market-impact Hawkes price model," Papers 1404.0648, arXiv.org, revised Jun 2015.
    4. Gulten Mero & Serge Darolles & Gaëlle Le Fol, 2015. "Financial Market Liquidity: Who Is Acting Strategically?," THEMA Working Papers 2015-14, THEMA (THéorie Economique, Modélisation et Applications), Université de Cergy-Pontoise.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Tóth, Bence & Palit, Imon & Lillo, Fabrizio & Farmer, J. Doyne, 2015. "Why is equity order flow so persistent?," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 218-239.
    2. Jean-Philippe Bouchaud & J. Doyne Farmer & Fabrizio Lillo, 2008. "How markets slowly digest changes in supply and demand," Papers 0809.0822, arXiv.org.
    3. J. Doyne Farmer & Austin Gerig & Fabrizio Lillo & Henri Waelbroeck, 2013. "How efficiency shapes market impact," Quantitative Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(11), pages 1743-1758, November.
    4. Martin D. Gould & Mason A. Porter & Sam D. Howison, 2015. "The Long Memory of Order Flow in the Foreign Exchange Spot Market," Papers 1504.04354, arXiv.org, revised Oct 2015.
    5. Alessio Emanuele Biondo, 2020. "Information versus imitation in a real-time agent-based model of financial markets," Journal of Economic Interaction and Coordination, Springer;Society for Economic Science with Heterogeneous Interacting Agents, vol. 15(3), pages 613-631, July.
    6. Thibault Jaisson, 2014. "Market impact as anticipation of the order flow imbalance," Papers 1402.1288, arXiv.org.
    7. B. Tóth & Z. Eisler & F. Lillo & J. Kockelkoren & J.-P. Bouchaud & J.D. Farmer, 2012. "How does the market react to your order flow?," Quantitative Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(7), pages 1015-1024, May.
    8. Hirshleifer, David & Teoh, Siew Hong, 2008. "Thought and Behavior Contagion in Capital Markets," MPRA Paper 9164, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Paolo Barucca & Fabrizio Lillo, 2017. "Behind the price: on the role of agent's reflexivity in financial market microstructure," Papers 1708.07047, arXiv.org.
    10. Tedeschi, Gabriele & Iori, Giulia & Gallegati, Mauro, 2012. "Herding effects in order driven markets: The rise and fall of gurus," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 81(1), pages 82-96.
    11. Bence Toth & Yves Lemperiere & Cyril Deremble & Joachim de Lataillade & Julien Kockelkoren & Jean-Philippe Bouchaud, 2011. "Anomalous price impact and the critical nature of liquidity in financial markets," Papers 1105.1694, arXiv.org, revised Nov 2011.
    12. Martin D. Gould & Mason A. Porter & Stacy Williams & Mark McDonald & Daniel J. Fenn & Sam D. Howison, 2010. "Limit Order Books," Papers 1012.0349, arXiv.org, revised Apr 2013.
    13. Olivier Guéant, 2016. "The Financial Mathematics of Market Liquidity: From Optimal Execution to Market Making," Post-Print hal-01393136, HAL.
    14. Axioglou, Christos & Skouras, Spyros, 2011. "Markets change every day: Evidence from the memory of trade direction," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 18(3), pages 423-446, June.
    15. 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.
    16. Elia Zarinelli & Michele Treccani & J. Doyne Farmer & Fabrizio Lillo, 2014. "Beyond the square root: Evidence for logarithmic dependence of market impact on size and participation rate," Papers 1412.2152, arXiv.org.
    17. Iacopo Mastromatteo & Bence Toth & Jean-Philippe Bouchaud, 2013. "Agent-based models for latent liquidity and concave price impact," Papers 1311.6262, arXiv.org, revised Dec 2014.
    18. Damian Eduardo Taranto & Giacomo Bormetti & Jean-Philippe Bouchaud & Fabrizio Lillo & Bence Toth, 2016. "Linear models for the impact of order flow on prices I. Propagators: Transient vs. History Dependent Impact," Papers 1602.02735, arXiv.org.
    19. Yamamoto, Ryuichi, 2019. "Dynamic Predictor Selection And Order Splitting In A Limit Order Market," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 23(5), pages 1757-1792, July.
    20. Chiarella, Carl & Iori, Giulia, 2009. "The impact of heterogeneous trading rules on the limit order book and order flows," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 525-537.

    More about this item

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:arx:papers:1108.1632. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: arXiv administrators (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://arxiv.org/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.