The Micro Dynamics of Macro Announcements

We examine how regularly scheduled macroeconomic announcements for the U.S., Germany and the euro area affect the German stock market, using high-frequency, minute-by-minute DAX data. Our study extends the literature on high-frequency announcement effects in several ways. First, we account for endogenous return dynamics by assessing announcement impacts via response analysis. Second, we examine the announcements effects on market volatility in a more detailed fashion by distinguishing effects of positive and negative surprises. Finally, we adapt the standard weighted-least-squares approach to more adequately analyze both conditional mean and volatility effects.