040442 EK KFK FM: Market Microstructure (2016W)

The course provides an introduction into the price discovery in real financial markets. We often assume that markets are perfect; the equilibrium price reflects a fair valuation of an asset's expected payoff and the exact trading mechanics is irrelevant. Real markets though are far from perfect. Various frictions could lead to significant deviations of the transaction prices from the theoretical equilibrium values. In the course we will study how trading is organized at the major financial markets and how prices are determined.
An important subject of the course is the concept of liquidity. We will talk about what it means for markets to be liquid, what determines market liquidity and how market liquidity is related to asset valuations. In addition, we will discuss the most important market design and regulatory issues such as market transparency, market fragmentation, high-frequency and algorithmic trading.
The course considers specific trading mechanisms and involves some work with real financial data. However, the main focus of the course is not on the particular institutional details of the trading process, but on the main economic mechanisms that govern markets' behavior.
This course is held in English and all examinations are in English. It is a required course for a specialization (KFK) in Financial Markets. It also counts as an elective for specializations (KFK) in Corporate Finance, Financial Institutions, and Financial Services.