No abstract

This study adds evidence from the four emerging markets of Central Europe relevant to the econometric modelling of financial time series by modelling volatility in these markets. The sample has all the previously documented characteristics of the unconditional distribution of stock returns normally used to justify the use of the GARCH class of models of conditional volatility. Both univariate and multivariate models are considered. Strong GARCH effects are apparent in all series examined. The estimates of asymmetric models of conditional volatility show rather weak evidence of asymmetries in the markets. The results of the multivariate specifications of volatility have implication for understanding the pattern of information flow between the markets. The constant correlation specification indicates significant conditional correlations between two pairs of countries: Hungary and Poland, and Hungary and Czech Republic. The BEKK model of multivariate volatility shows evidence of return volatility spillovers from Hungary to Poland, but no volatility spillover effects are found in the opposite direction.

Exchanges in Europe are in a process of consolidation. After the failure of the proposed merger between Deutsche Börse and Euronext, these two groups are likely to become the nuclei for further mergers and co‐operation with currently independent exchanges. A decision for one of the groups entails a decision for the respective trading platform. Against that background we evaluate the attractiveness of the two dominant continental European trading systems. Though both are anonymous electronic limit order books, there are important differences in the trading protocols. We use a matched‐sample approach to compare execution costs in Euronext Paris and Xetra. We find that both quoted and effective spreads are lower in Xetra. The differences are more pronounced for less liquid stocks. When decomposing the spread we find no systematic differences in the adverse selection component. Realised spreads, on the other hand, are significantly higher in Euronext. Neither differences in the number of liquidity provision agreements nor differences in the minimum tick size or in the degree of domestic competition for order flow explain the different spread levels. We thus conclude that Xetra is the more efficient trading system.