The option implied volatility spread and skew predict stock returns. These variables also reflect the expected cost of borrowing stock to sell short. The stock borrowing fee implied from options prices predicts changes in quoted borrowing fees and stock returns; however, the volatility spread...

We study how the excess market return depends on the time of the day using E-mini S&P 500 futures that are actively traded for almost 24 hours. Strikingly, four hours around European open account for the entire average market return. This period's returns are consistently positive in every year,...

We train a machine learning method on a class of informed trades to develop a new measure of informed trading, the Informed Trading Intensity (``ITI''). ITI increases before earnings, M&A, and news announcements, and has implications for return reversal and asset pricing. ITI is effective...