• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.73-82
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• 2017

Purpose - This paper aims to investigate a profit maximizing incentive of foreign traders in distributing the KOSPI 200 Futures. Such an incentive may induce unsophisticated retail traders to suffer loss from speculative trading. Since Korean government increased the entry barriers of the market to protect unsophisticated traders, the market size has been decreasing while the proportion of the contract held by foreign traders has been increasing. These on going changes make the market imperfectly competitive, where a profit maximization incentives of foreign traders are expected to grow. In this paper, we attempt to find any evidence of such behavior, thereby providing implications regarding market policy and market efficiency. Research design, data, and methodology - According to Kyle(1985), an informed trader exploits his/her monopoly power optimally in a dynamic context so that he/she makes positive profit, where he/she could conceal his/her trading utilizing noise trading as camouflage. We apply the KOSPI 200 Futures market to the Kyle's model: foreign traders who take into account the effect of his/her trading to maximize expected profits as an informed trader, retail investors as noise traders, and financial institutions as market makers. To find any evidence of monopolistic behavior, we test the variants of trading volume and price data of the KOSPI 200 Futures over the period of 2009 and 2017. Results - First, we find that the price of the KOSPI 200 Futures are more volatile than the price of underlying asset. Second, we find that monopolistic foreign trader's trading order flows are consistent with exploiting his/her monopoly power to maximize profit. Finally, we find that retail investors' trading order flows are inversely consistent with maximizing profit, that is, uninformed retail investors suffer loss continuously in speculative trading against informed traders. Conclusions - Our results show that the quantity of strategic order flows may have a large effect on the price, therefore, resulting the market inefficiency. The results also imply that, in implementing regulations, the depth of the market must be considered to maintain market liquidity, and suggesting interesting research topics regarding the market structure.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.153-166
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• 2023

Purpose - This research empirically analyzes the influence of economic policy uncertainty and free trade agreements (FTAs) on bilateral trade volumes between Korea and its trading partners. The study investigates whether fluctuations in the Economic Policy Uncertainty Index (EPUI) for both Korea and its trading partners significantly impact trade volumes and whether the implementation of FTAs mitigates these effects. Design/methodology - The study employs dynamic panel data analysis using the system generalized method of moments (system GMM) estimation method to achieve its research objectives. It utilizes country-month-level panel data, including the EPUI, trade volume between Korea and its trading partner countries, and other pertinent variables. The use of system GMM allows for the control of potential endogeneity issues and the incorporation of country-specific and time-specific effects. Findings - The analysis yields significant results regarding the impact of economic policy uncertainty on Korea's exports and imports, particularly before the implementation of FTAs. An increase in the EPUI of trading partners leads to a notable increase in Korea's exports to them. Conversely, an increase in Korea's EPUI negatively affects its imports from trading partners. However, post-FTA implementation, the influence of each country's EPUI on trade volume is neutralized, with no significant difference observed. Originality/value - This research contributes to the existing literature by providing empirical evidence on the interaction effects between economic policy uncertainty and FTAs on bilateral trade volumes. The study's uniqueness lies in its examination of how FTAs mitigate the impact of economic uncertainty on trade relations between countries. The findings underscore the importance of trade agreements as mechanisms to address economic risks and promote international trade relations. In a world where global market uncertainties persist, these insights can aid policymakers in Korea and other countries in enhancing their trade cooperation strategies and navigating challenges posed by evolving economic landscapes.

• The Korean Journal of Financial Management
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.235-261
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• 2003

We examine the relationship between the trading activities of Korea Stock Price Index (KOSPI) 200 futures contract and its underlying stock market volatility for about six years from May 1996 when the futures contract was introduced. The trading activities of the futures contracts are proxied by the volume and open interest, which are divided into expected and unexpected portions by using the previous data. The daily, intradilay, and overnight cash volatility is estimated by the GJR-GARCH model. We find a positive contemporaneous relationship between the intradaily stock market volatility and the unexpected futures volume while the relationship between the volatility and expected futures volume is weakly negative or non-existent. We also find that the unexpected futures volume strongly causes intradaily cash volatility. On the other hand, the overnight cash volatility causes the unexpected futures volume. The impulse responses between these variables are all positive. The result implies that during a trading time futures trading tends to increase the cash volatility while the unexpected overnight changes in cash volatility tends to increase the futures trading activities. We, however, find no association between the cash volatility and futures maturities.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.135-143
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• 2021

Information has an essential role in decision-making for investors who will invest in financial markets, especially regarding the policies on the condition of COVID-19. The purpose of this study is to determine the market reaction to the information published by the government regarding the policy changes to the provisions of Trading Halt on the IDX in an emergency using the event study method. The population in this study was companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in March 2020; the sample selection technique was purposive sampling. Data analysis used a normality test and one sample T-test. The results of the study found that there were significant abnormal returns on the announcement date, negative abnormal returns around the announcement date, and significant trading volume activity occurring three days after the announcement. The existence of a significant positive abnormal return on the announcement date indicates that the market responds quickly to information published by the government. The practical implication of this research can be taken into consideration for investors in making investment decisions to analyze and determine the right investment options so that investors can minimize the risk of their investment and maximize the profits they want to achieve.

• The Korean Journal of Financial Studies
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.179-211
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• 1996

This study examines whether trading mechanisms or market microstructures of markets have an effect on the integration issue of the international equity market. If the international equity market is integrated, identical stocks listed on different international stock exchanges should have the same rates of return, the same characteristics of stock price behavior and similar distributions of return. If different market microstructures, or trading mechanisms cause differences in characteristics of stock price behavior, those can lead to different rates of return because of different liquidity risk for the same stocks between markets. This study proposes international asset pricing with liquidity risk related to trading mechanisms. Systematic risk by itself cannot predict the sign of expected rate of return difference for the same stocks between international markets. Liquidity risk factors related to market microstructure provide explanations for the sign of rate of return differences between markets, However, liquidity risk factors related to market microstructure do not have a significant effect on the rate of return differences and sensitivity of return differences between markets, Trading mechanisms or market microstructures might not have a significant effect on the interpretation of the international equity market integration studies, if trading volume or other factors are controlled.

• Journal of the Korean Data and Information Science Society
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.1199-1215
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• 2011

Relaxing an unrealistic assumption of a representative percolation model, this paper demonstrates that herd behavior leads to a high increase in volatility but not trading volume, in contrast with information flows that give rise to increases in both volatility and trading volume. Although detecting herd behavior has posed a great challenge due to its empirical difficulty, this paper proposes a new methodology for detecting trading days with herding. Furthermore, this paper suggests a herd-behavior-stochastic-volatility model, which accounts for herding in financial markets. Strong evidence in favor of the model specification over the standard stochastic volatility model is based on empirical application with high frequency data in the Korean equity market, strongly supporting the intuition that herd behavior causes excess volatility. In addition, this research indicates that strong persistence in volatility, which is a prevalent feature in financial markets, is likely attributed to herd behavior rather than news.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.159-175
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• 2007

The purpose of this study is to examine the causal relationship between trading volume of freight and industrial growth in Korea ports, and to induce policy implications. In order to test whether time series data is stationary and the model is fitness or not, we put in operation unit root test, cointegration test. And we apply Granger causality based on an error correction model, Hsiao(1981) method and variance decomposition. The results indicate that the extent of causality between trading volume of freight and industrial growth is strong in order of Incheon port, Busan port, Gwang Yang port, Ulsan port. We can infer policy suggestions as follows; The port policy of government must be focused on re-adjusting investment among Korea ports and raising competitive power of Korea ports

• The Korean Journal of Financial Management
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.41-79
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• 2007

This study examines the expiration-day effects of stock index futures and options in the Korean stock market. The so-called 'expiration-day effects', which are the abnormal stock price movements on derivatives expiration days, arise mainly from cash settlement. Index arbitragers have to bear the risk of their positions unless they liquidate their index stocks on the expiration day. If many arbitragers execute large buy or sell orders on the expiration day, abnormal trading volumes are likely to be observed. If a lot of arbitragers unwind positions in the same direction, temporary trading imbalances induce abnormal stock market volatility. By contrast, if some information arrives at market, the abnormal trading activity must be considered a normal process of price discovery. Stoll and Whaley(1987) investigated the aggregate price and volume effects of the S&P 500 index on the expiration day. In a related study, Stoll and Whaley(1990) found a similarity between the price behavior of stocks that are subject to program trading and of the stocks that are not. Thus far, there have been few studies about the expiration-day effects in the Korean stock market. While previous Korean studies use the KOSPI 200 index data, we analyze the price and trading volume behavior of individual stocks as well as the index. Analyzing individual stocks is important for two reasons. First, stock index is a market average. Consequently, it cannot reflect the behavior of many individual stocks. For example, if the expiration-day effects are mainly related to a specific group, it cannot be said that the expiration of derivatives itself destabilizes the stock market. Analyzing individual stocks enables us to investigate the scope of the expiration-day effects. Second, we can find the relationship between the firm characteristics and the expiration-day effects. For example, if the expiration-day effects exist in large stocks not belonging to the KOSPI 200 index, program trading may not be related to the expiration-day effects. The examination of individual stocks has led us to the cause of the expiration-day effects. Using the intraday data during the period May 3, 1996 through December 30, 2003, we first examine the price and volume effects of the KOSPI 200 and NON-KOSPI 200 index following the Stoll and Whaley(1987) methodology. We calculate the NON-KOSPI 200 index by using the returns and market capitalization of the KOSPI and KOSPI 200 index. In individual stocks, we divide KOSPI 200 stocks by size into three groups and match NON-KOSPI 200 stocks with KOSPI 200 stocks having the closest firm characteristics. We compare KOSPI 200 stocks with NON-KOSPI 200 stocks. To test whether the expiration-day effects are related to order imbalances or new information, we check price reversals on the next day. Finally, we perform a cross-sectional regression analysis to elaborate on the impact of the firm characteristics on price reversals. The main results seem to support the expiration-day effects, especially on stock index futures expiration days. The price behavior of stocks that are subject to program trading is shown to have price effects, abnormal return volatility, and large volumes during the last half hour of trading on the expiration day. Return reversals are also found in the KOSPI 200 index and stocks. However, there is no evidence of abnormal trading volume, or price reversals in the NON-KOSPI 200 index and stocks. The expiration-day effects are proportional to the size of stocks and the nearness to the settlement time. Since program trading is often said to be concentrated in high capitalization stocks, these results imply that the expiration-day effects seem to be associated with program trading and the settlement price determination procedure. In summary, the expiration-day effects in the Korean stock market do not exist in all stocks, but in large capitalization stocks belonging to the KOSPI 200 index. Additionally, the expiration-day effects in the Korean stock market are generally due, not to information, but to trading imbalances.

• Journal of Korea Port Economic Association
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.53-71
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• 2004

The container throughput of China, after the joining in the WTO, has begun to increase notably. As a result, China is busy building new ports continuously. In accordance with China's situation Korea promote the development plans of ports and marketing strategy to attract the increasing cargo traffics with China, including transhipment cargoes. To build the competition strategy and the panning port for trading cargoes with China, an analysis on origin/destination is necessary. The cargo volume from/to the particular port(Korea/China) and origin/destination of traffic are important factors in the requirement for the port development. Therefore, in the era that trading with China is rapidly increasing, this study is performed to analyze the port's usage of transporting the cargos and the origin/destination of trading cargoes with china. Also this paper suggests to the competitive strategies of Pyungtaek Port to attract cargoes particularly from/to China.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.10
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• pp.95-107
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• 2020

This study analyzes the effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity on investors' heterogeneous beliefs. The hypothesis of this study is based on the conflicting effects of CSR activities on firm value and earning's quality. Investors' heterogeneous beliefs used in the empirical analysis of this study are trading volume, and CSR activity is measured by the KEJI Index (Korea Economic Justice Institute Index). This study performs an empirical analysis using regression analysis including control variables. CSR activities are found to have a positive relationship with trading volume. This is consistent regardless of the low and high accounting information (earning's quality). It can be interpreted that Korea's CSR activity acts as an incentive to increase investors' heterogeneous beliefs about target companies. In other words, it implies that the investor judges CSR activities negatively when evaluating firm value. This study could have a policy implication in that it analyzes how CSR activities affect investors' decision-making. In other words, this study analyzed CSR activities from the perspective of shareholders. Therefore, this study is expected to provide useful information for policymaking by regulatory agencies. In particular, its contribution is to presents data that CSR activities can be a negative factor in evaluating firm values.