A thesis on algorithmic trading

Algorithmic trading is one of the most phenomenal changes in the financial industry in the past decade. While the impacts are significant, the microstructure of algorithmic trading remains unknown.By using Diff-in-Diff analysis, this paper shows that for low price securities, algorithmic trading activities are more active than high price securities. Besides, algorithm trading per se may also trigger significant price impact. As a result, algorithmic order execution has to be dynamically adapted to real-time market environments. This makes dynamic programming (DP) the most natural approach. This paper builds a optimal order execution model using dynamic programming. It works with the mean-variance utilities of Almgren and Chriss (J. Risk, 3, 2000) to effectively express risk aversion of a typical trader. The new framework is demonstrated through building one particular style called MV-MVP, i.e., the mean-variance (MV) objective formulated upon the state variables of moneyness and volume participation (MVP). The MV-MVP style generalizes the VWAP strategy by facilitating dynamic reactions to moneyness and by embodying the popular street practice of trading aggressively or passively while in the money. Simulated dynamic trading paths illustrates the MV-MVP style oscillates around the VWAP strategy.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Industrial Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Yu, Yingjie

• Algorithmic trading
• Dynamic programming

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2015 Yingjie Yu

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/78679

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/78679