In perfectly frictionless and rational markets, spot markets and futures markets should simultaneously reflect new information. However, due to market imperfections, one of these markets may reflect information faster than the other and therefore may lead to the other. This study examines the...

This paper applies GARCH models to ascertain the impact of index futures trading on the volatility of the spot market. Specifically, the research aims to determine whether the introduction of index futures trading increases or decreases the level of volatility within the underlying spot market....

When stock prices deviate from their fundamental values due to excess demand, investors anticipate reversals and trade in the options market to exploit the temporary misvaluation. This leads to options’ predictability of stock returns beyond the well-known informed trading channel. Using S&P...

After the Debt Ceiling Bill was passed on August 2, 2011, the S&P 500 index returns volatility increased significantly until the end of 2011. This research investigates the return volatility movements in S&P 500 spot index and index futures markets, the lead/lag relationship between two markets,...

After the Debt Ceiling Bill was passed on August 2, 2011, the S&P 500 index returns volatility increased significantly until the end of 2011. This research investigates the return volatility movements in S&P 500 spot index and index futures markets, the lead/lag relationship between two markets,...

After the Debt Ceiling Bill was passed on August 2, 2011, the S&P 500 index returns volatility increased significantly until the end of 2011. This research investigates the return volatility movements in S&P 500 spot index and index futures markets, the lead/lag relationship between two markets,...

A key issue in understanding option pricing is the response of option implied volatility to macro-economic announcements. We use high frequency data on ASX SPI 200 Index Options to examine the response of option implied volatility, as well as higher moments of the underlying return distribution,...

The aim of this paper is twofold: to investigate how the information content of implied volatility varies according to moneyness and option type and to compare option-based forecasts with historical volatility. The different information content of implied volatility is examined for the most...