This paper characterizes the trading strategy of a large high frequency trader (HFT). The HFT incurs a loss on its inventory but earns a profit on the bid–ask spread. Sharpe ratio calculations show that performance is very sensitive to cost of capital assumptions. The HFT employs a...

A poor liquidity level and a high liquidity risk significantly raise the required return for small-cap stocks. Euronext allows these firms to hire designated market makers (DMMs) who guarantee a minimum liquidity supply for a lump sum annual fee. In an event study based on 74 DMM stocks, we find...