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Journal of Finance Vol. 51 No. 1 1996

Return Volatility and Trading Volume: An Information Flow Interpretation of Stochastic Volatility

Torben G. Andersen1,2

1 University of Illinois Chicago · 2 FishBase Information and Research Group

Abstract

The paper develops an empirical return volatility‐trading volume model from a microstructure framework in which informational asymmetries and liquidity needs motivate trade in response to information arrivals. The resulting system modifies the so‐called “Mixture of Distribution Hypothesis” (MDH). The dynamic features are governed by the information flow, modeled as a stochastic volatility process, and generalize standard ARCH specifications. Specification tests support the modified MDH representation and show that it vastly outperforms the standard MDH. The findings suggest that the model may be useful for analysis of the economic factors behind the observed volatility clustering in returns.

DOI
10.1111/j.1540-6261.1996.tb05206.x
Volume
51
Issue
1
Pages
169-204
Language
en
Sources
openalex crossref

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