Adverse Selection and Inventory Models

Hard·28 min read
Market MicrostructureMarket MakingAdverse SelectionStochastic ControlAvellaneda-Stoikov

Quick Quiz

1. In Glosten-Milgrom, a market buy raises the dealer's belief μt=Pr[V=VH]\mu_t=\Pr[V=V_H]. By what mechanism does this cause a permanent price impact?
2. Avellaneda-Stoikov reservation price r=Sqγσ2(Tt)r=S-q\gamma\sigma^2(T-t). With q=20q=-20, γ=0.01\gamma=0.01, σ=0.25\sigma=0.25, Tt=0.5T-t=0.5, the reservation price relative to mid is:
3. The Avellaneda-Stoikov half-spread is 1γln(1+γ/k)+12γσ2(Tt)\frac{1}{\gamma}\ln(1+\gamma/k)+\frac12\gamma\sigma^2(T-t). What does each term represent and what happens to the spread as tTt\to T?
4. In the Avellaneda-Stoikov model, with zero inventory (q=0q=0) the optimal bid and ask are symmetric about the mid-price StS_t.
5. Glosten-Milgrom predicts the spread narrows as trading proceeds. What is the intuition, and does it match equity-market evidence?
6. Order arrival intensity is λ(δ)=Aekδ\lambda(\delta)=Ae^{-k\delta}. Ignoring inventory, the half-spread that maximises expected income per unit time from one side is: