High-frequency trading (HFT) has grown substantially in recent years due to fast-paced technological developments and their rapid uptake, particularly in equity markets. This review investigates how HFT could evolve and, by developing a robust understanding of its effects, identifies potential risks and opportunities that HFT could present in terms of financial stability and other market outcomes such as volatility, liquidity, price efficiency, and price discovery. Despite commonly held negative perceptions, the available evidence indicates that HFT and algorithmic trading may have several beneficial effects on markets. However, these types of trading may cause instabilities in financial markets in specific circumstances. Carefully chosen regulatory measures are needed to address concerns in the shorter term. However, further work is needed to inform policies in the longer term, particularly in view of likely uncertainties and lack of data. This work will be vital in supporting evidence-based regulation in this controversial and rapidly evolving field.
High frequency trading (HFT) has grown substantially in recent years, due to fast-paced technological developments and their rapid uptake, particularly in equity markets. This paper investigates how HFT could evolve and, by developing a robust understanding of its e¤ects, to identify potential risks and opportunities that it could present in terms of …nancial stability and other market outcomes such as volatility, liquidity, price e¢ ciency and price discovery. Despite commonly held negative perceptions, the available evidence indicates that HFT and algorithmic trading (AT) may have several bene…cial e¤ects on markets. However, they may cause instabilities in …nancial markets in speci…c circumstances. Carefully chosen regulatory measures are needed to address concerns in the shorter term. However, further work is needed to inform policies in the longer term, particularly in view of likely uncertainties and lack of data. This will be vital to support evidence-based regulation in this controversial and rapidly evolving …eld.
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