Interest in the results of important macroeconomic information is in relation to the financial crisis deeper than usual. The main objective of this thesis is to evaluate the behavior of individual players on the market during the time of publication of these reports. It uses the standard tools that are available in commercial platforms. Literature, which addresses this area of trading, is not widely available. I dare to say that this thesis offer to the reader non-traditional view on this issue.

The first essay, "Market Integration and Side by Side Trading of Derivative and Cash Instruments" inquires into the microstructure of integrated trading of derivative and cash instruments and proposes a spatial differentiation model as a framework for analysis. The model illustrates that when broker-dealers can execute cash and derivative transactions proximately they can increase their returns by serving a larger proportion of investors who hold diverse portfolios thereby helping investors to economize on transactions costs. The model predicts that transactions involving a cash and derivative will be effected through an integrated system. The second essay, "Stock Index Futures Trading and Stock Market Volatility," reviews theoretical models and empirical evidence on the relationships between the level of futures trading and volatility. An empirical investigation is conducted by examining the relationship between the daily trading value of the S&P 500 stock index futures contract and the traded value of New York Stock Exchange stocks and considers whether there is higher price volatility in the stock markets when the level of trading in the futures markets is high relative to trading in the cash market. No evidence, theoretical or empirical, is found to support the notion that futures trading leads to greater volatility in the underlying cash market. The third essay, "Liquidation and Delivery Under Conditions of Manipulation models how strategic traders would respond to manipulation given an option to liquidate or deliver on the contract. A perfect Bayesian equilibrium concept is used in which traders must decide whether to liquidate or deliver given the realization of the first period equilibrium futures price. If detected by floor brokers who competitively bid prices to their expected value, the manipulator will cause prices to move against him, raising the equilibrium price when he puts in orders to buy and lowering the price when he seeks to selL Revelation of manipulation through prices also alters the behavior of other traders. An analysis of reactions in a simplified extensive form game indicates that detection of manipulation allows other market participants to stategically adjust their plans regarding liquidation and avoid incurring losses to the manipulator. / Ph. D.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A unique data set consisting of economists' expectations on key economic indicators was examined within the context of the controversial normal backwardation theory of Keynes. The economists' expectations were regarded as the expected future spot price and the relationship between them and the corresponding futures contracts was analysed. The respective economic indicators were: i) the yield from aparastatal Bond, ii) the yield from Government Bonds, iii) the rate of the 90 day Banker's Acceptance (BA) Deposit Rate and iv) the Rand/Dollar (R/$) Exchange Rate for the past seven years, i.e. 1995 to 2001. The accuracy of the economists' predictions was tested both on a visual basis and the relationship between the expected values and the futures prices was plotted in a graphical format. A nonparametric statistical procedure was used to determine whether the economists' expectations were of any value. To put it differently, the question being posed is: do these economists, as a group, possess some superior forecasting skills? Two different conclusions were reached from the analysis: First conclusion: by accepting the normal backwardation theory, it implies that the contango theory also holds. Therefore, when analysing the data set visually - depending on which theory it supports - the futures price must trade consistently below or above the expected future spot price. For this particular analysis the yield of the bond, and not its price, was the important factor. In most cases the plotted relationships between the expected values and the futures prices were found to support the contango theory and, to a lesser extent, the normal backwardation theory. Hence, speculators were, in order to make profits, predominately sellers of futures contracts. Second conclusion: the strongest conclusion, however, follows from the statistical tests conducted on the expected values. It was found that economists do possess some superior forecasting skills and if they had used their predictions and had taken the corresponding market positions, they would have been consistent winners in the futures market. Their reward would be mainly for their ability to forecast eventual spot prices and, to a lesser extent, for their risk bearing. It was impossible to link the two conclusions to confirm the normal backwardation theory, for the particular South African data set. The evidence is thus consistent with the hypothesis that the futures price is an unbiased estimate of the expected future spot price. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: 'n Unieke datastel, bestaande uit ekonome se vooruitsigte van kern ekonomiese aanwysers, is ondersoek binne die konteks van die omstrede normale terugwaardasie-teorie (d.i. "normal backwardation theory") van Keynes. Die ekonome se vooruitsigte is aanvaar as die verwagte toekomstige kontantprys en die verhouding hiertussen en die ooreenstemmende termynpryse is ontleed. Die onderskeie ekonomiese aanwysers was: i) die opbrengs op 'n Semi-Staatseffek, ii) die opbrengs op Staatseffekte, iii) die koers van die negentig-dae-Bankaksepte (BA) Depositokoers en iv) die Rand/Dollar (R/$) Wisselkoers oor die afgelope sewe jaar, d.w.s. 1995 tot 2001. Die akkuraatheid van die ekonome se vooruitskattings is op 'n visuele basis vergelyk, en die verhouding tussen die verwagte prys en die termynpryse is in grafiese formaat gekarteer. 'n Nie-parametriese statistiese prosedure is gebruik om vas te stel of hierdie ekonome se vooruitsigte van enige waarde was. Anders gestel, die vraag is: beskik hierdie ekonome as 'n groep oor sekere superieure vooruitskattingsvaardighede? Die volgende twee afsonderlike gevolgtrekkings is geformuleer: Eerste gevolgtrekking: deur die normale terugwaardasie-teorie te aanvaar, impliseer dit dat die contango-teorie (d.i, "contango theory") ook geldig is. Dus, wanneer die datastel visueel getoets word - afhangende van watter teorie dit ondersteun - moet die termynprys konsekwent bo of onder die verwagte toekomstige kontantprys verhandel. Vir hierdie bepaalde analise was die opbrengs van die staatseffek die belangrike faktor en nié die prys daarvan nie. In die meeste gevalle het die gekarteerde verhouding tussen die verwagte prys en die termynprys getoon dat dit die contango-teorie ondersteun het en, in 'n mindere mate, die normale terugwaardasie-teorie. Derhalwe was spekulante, ten einde wins te maak, oorwegend die verkopers van termynkontrakte. Tweede gevolgtrekking: die belangrikste gevolgtrekking volg egter uit die statistiese toetse wat uitgevoer is op die verwagte pryse. Daar is bevind dat ekonome wel oor superieure vooruitskattingsvaardighede beskik en dat, indien hulle hul vooruitskattings gebruik en die ooreenstemmende markposisies ingeneem het, hulle konsekwent wenners in die termynmark sou gewees het. Hulle vergoedings sou hoofsaaklik gewees het vir hulle vermoë om uiteindelike kontantpryse te voorspel en, in 'n mindere mate, vir hulle risiko-blootstelling. Dit was onmoontlik om hierdie twee vergelykings met mekaar te verbind om sodoende die normale terugwaardasie-teorie te onderskryf vir die betrokke Suid-Afrikaanse datastel. Die bewyslewering is dus konsekwent met die hipotese dat die termynprys 'n onsydige skatting van die verwagte toekomstige kontantprys is.

When a stock is added into the S&P 500 Index, it is automatically "cross-listed" in the index derivative markets (i.e., S&P 500 Index futures and Index options). I examined the effects of such cross-listing on the trading volume and return volatility of the underlying component stocks. Traditional finance theory asserts that futures and "cash" markets are connected by arbitrage mechanism that brings both markets to equilibrium. When arbitrage opportunities arise, arbitrageurs buy (sell) the index portfolio and take short (long) positions in the corresponding index derivative contracts until prices return to theoretical levels. Such mechanical arbitrage trading tends to create large order flows that could be difficult for the market to absorb, resulting in price changes. Utilizing a list of S&P 500 index composition changes occurring over the period September 1976 to December 2005, I investigated the market-adjusted volume turnover ratios and return variances of the stocks being added to and deleted from the S&P 500, surrounding the effective day of index membership changes. My primary finding is that, after the introduction of the S&P 500 index futures and options contracts, stocks added to the S&P 500 experience significant increase in both trading volume and return volatility. However, deleted stocks experience no significant change in either trading volume or return volatility. Both daily and monthly return variances increase following index inclusion, consistent with the hypothesis that derivative transactions "fundamentally" destabilize the underlying securities. I argue that the increase in trading volume and return volatility may be attributed to index arbitrage transactions as derivative markets provide more routes for index arbitrageurs to trade. Other index trading strategies such as portfolio insurance and program trading may also contribute to the results. On the other hand, a deleted stock is not associated with changes in trading volume and volatility since it represents an extremely small fraction of the market value-weighted index portfolio, and the influence of index trading strategies becomes slight for these shares. Furthermore, evidence is provided that trading volume and return volatility are positively related.

This thesis is among the first market microstructure studies of an index futures market with designated market makers in the academic literature. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate intraday patterns of key variables, the relative size of the components of the quoted bid-ask spread, and the order decisions of uninformed traders, in a continuous dealer market for index futures with market makers. Overall, our findings aim to contribute to a better understanding of the roles of market makers and public customers in price formation. Intraday patterns of financial market variables such as trade price, volume, trade size, quoted spreads, depth, and volatility separately for designated market makers and public customers are examined. The lack of relevant and appropriate data in futures markets, as evidenced by Hasbrouck (2003) and Kurov (2005), has inhibited the growth of market microstructure in futures markets. Individual orders, quotes, trader identification, and transactions from June 2003 to December 2004, for FTSEurofirst 80 and 100 index futures are used in the study. Inclusion of the parties to order execution distinguishes this data set from most other futures microstructure sources. As this thesis is the first known academic study of the extant market microstructure of the FTSEurofirst index futures, the institutional aspects of the trading process for the FTSEurofirst index futures are also explored. An alternative method for estimating three cost components as a proportion of the bid-ask spread is developed. A framework is developed for the order decision process of an uninformed trader for the first time in a futures market with market makers. The results of this thesis may have implications for other financial markets and the field of market microstructure.

本研究嘗試整合類神經網路與法則基礎（rule-based）系統技術，以建立S&P 500指數期貨的交易策略。本研究不同於先前研究之處有下列二方面：一、本研究採用法則基礎系統的方式提供神經網路的訓練範例；二、本研究以理解神經網路（Reasoning Neural Networks）取代後向傳導網路（Back propagation networks）以解決局部最小值與隱藏結點數未知的困境，而實證結果也顯示理解神經網路之表現優於後向傳導網路。首先，由期貨的日價格資料計算出十種技術分析指標值，用這些指標值來表示期貨市場內的各種可能狀況（case）。接著，我們提出FFM（Futures Forecast Model）與EFFM（Extended Futures Forecast Model）來處理市場的各種狀況，預測出隔日的期貨價格改變方向。以法則基礎方法所建立的FFM是用來處理明顯的狀況（obvious cases），並且提供類神經網路好的訓練範例。而EFFM包括四個理解神經網路系統與一個決策機置（voting mechanism），它被用來處理那些不明顯的狀況（non-obvious cases）。從實證模擬的結果顯示，在預測市場時FFM與EFFM有良好的合作 關係。因此，我們以FFM與EFFM為基礎建立一個整合的期貨交易系統（Integrated Futures Trading System，IFTS），並將它用於S&P 500 指數期貨市場作模擬交易，結果我們發現在1988到1993年的測試期間，IFTS 的投資報酬率高於買入持有投資策略。 / This research adopts a hybrid approach to implementing the trading strategies in the S&P 500 index futures market. The hybrid approach integrates both the rule-based systems technique and the neural networks technique. Our methodology is different from previous studies in two aspects. First, we employ Reasoning Neural Networks (RN) instead of back propagation networks to resolve the undesired predicaments of local minimum and the unknown of the number of hidden nodes. Second, the rule-based systems approach is applied to provide neural networks with good training examples. We, first, categorize the daily conditions of the futures market into a variety of cases through processing futures historical data. Then, the dual-forecast models, FFM (futures forecast model) and EFFM (extended futures forecast model), are proposed to predict the direction of daily price changes. The rule-based model, FFM, is designed to deal with the obvious cases and to provide the neural network-based model, EFFM, with good training examples. Meanwhile, EFFM, which consists of four RNs and a voting mechanism, is designed to handle the non-obvious cases. The simulation results show that the cooperation of FFM and EFFM does a good job in predicting the direction of daily price change of S&P 500 index futures. Based on FFM and EFFM, the integrated futures trading system (IFTS) is developed and employed to trade the S&P 500 index futures contracts. The results show that IFTS outperforms the passive buy-and-hold investment strategy over the six-year testing period from 1988 to 1993.

本篇探討在2010年4月16日滬深300股指期貨正式上市到2012年9月18日止的連續近月每日收盤日資料，進行區域內金融期貨市場連動關係的研究，試圖發現兩岸三地之股價指數期貨市場在亞太地區的金融主導地位，以作為國內外投資者在區域內的投資決策參考。 實證結果顯示，從共整合及向量誤差修正模型檢定發現，兩岸三地股指期貨具有長期均衡及短期的互動關係，因此可以視此三地為單一區域市場。在Granger因果檢定上，台股指數期貨雖無法預測恆生指數期貨，但仍明顯領先滬深300股指期貨且程度大於恆生指數期貨，或可推測兩岸因ECFA的簽訂使實體經濟的關聯性更為緊密，至於恆生指數期貨大多以金融、地產股為其主要成分，與大陸主要以實體經濟為主的金融市場，其Granger預測滬深300股指期貨的能力因此相對較弱。另由衝擊反應檢定得知恆生指數期貨為一獨立的市場，不受台灣及大陸指數期貨市場衝擊的影響；滬深300指數期貨因大陸金融市場逐漸開放，也會受到香港及台灣金融期貨市場之衝擊而產生影響；至於台股指數期貨則在兩岸三地，最易受到其他市場影響。最後由預測變異數分解檢定發現，台股指數期貨及滬深300股指期貨的波動皆易受到恆生股價指數期貨變異的影響，而恆生指數期貨在兩岸三地間之解釋能力最強，於兩岸三地間具金融主導地位。至於台股指數期貨對大陸金融期貨的影響也有突出的表現，因此若政府有心推展亞太金融中心之營運，勢必得加強區域間整合的力度，提出有利吸引外資之最政策，以增加台灣股市於國際間之競爭力。 / This study conducts analysis of regional linkage between financial futures market by examining consecutive daily closing information from April 16, 2010 (the official list date of CSI 300 index futures) to September 18, 2012. This study tries to find the financial dominance of these index futures market in the Asia Pacific region and hopefully it may be used as an investment decision reference for domestic and foreign investors. The empirical results show that from the total integration and vector error correction model tests and three places all indicate long-run equilibrium stock index futures and short-term interaction. Therefore, these three places can be viewed as a single regional market. In the Granger causality test on the TAIEX futures and Hang Seng Index futures, in spite of TAIEX futures can’t predict Hang Seng Index futures, it is significantly ahead of the CSI 300 index futures. TAIEX futures on the CSI 300 index futures even more impact than the Hang Seng Index Futures. It can explain that the ECFA has been signed and results show closely-related economy. Since the Hang Seng Index futures are mainly from financial and real estate stocks while the mainland-based financial market is mainly from the real economy, Granger predicts ability of CSI 300 index futures is relatively weak. Another test on the impulse response shows that (1) Hang Seng Index Futures is an independent market and is not affected by shocks from Taiwan and the mainland index futures markets, (2) CSI 300 index futures is affected by shocks from Hong Kong and Taiwan because of the gradually open financial markets, and (3) TAIEX futures can be seen as a potential Taiwanese dish economy because it is most vulnerable to other market influences among the three places. To sum up, the forecast variance decomposition tests show that TAIEX futures and the CSI 300 stock index futures are vulnerable to fluctuations in the Hang Seng index futures. In order words, the Hang Seng Index futures have the strongest explanatory power among the three places and shows financial dominance. The TAIEX futures also show its significant impact on the mainland China financial futures index. If the Government decides to promote the operation of the Asia-Pacific financial center and to increase competitiveness of Taiwan stock market, it will inevitably have to strengthen inter-regional integration efforts and make the most favorable policies to attract foreign investment.