Background
The term “spread” in economics and finance typically refers to the difference between two prices, rates, or yields. In financial markets, it most commonly describes the gap between the bid price (the highest price a buyer is willing to pay for an asset) and the offer price (the lowest price a seller is willing to accept).
Historical Context
Historically, the concept of spread emerged with the development of organized financial markets. Market-makers, who provide liquidity by continuously buying and selling assets, set the bid and offer prices and earn profits from the spread. Over time, technological advancements and increased market competition have led to tighter spreads, especially in well-traded securities.
Definitions and Concepts
Market-Maker
A market-maker is a firm or individual who actively quotes two-sided markets in a financial instrument, providing bids and offers (asks) along with the market size of each.
Bid Price
The bid price is the highest amount a buyer is willing to pay for a security or financial instrument.
Offer Price
The offer price (or ask price) is the lowest amount a seller is willing to accept to sell a security or financial instrument.
Spread
The spread is the difference between the bid price and the offer price. It represents the profit margin for market-makers and covers their operating costs while also providing a premium against the risk that any customer has insider information about the asset being traded.
Major Analytical Frameworks
Classical Economics
Classical economic theories generally do not account for market frictions such as spreads but focus more on aggregate supply and prices determined through free-market interactions.
Neoclassical Economics
Neoclassical economics incorporates elements such as transactions costs and market imperfection which can lead to the presence of a spread between buying and selling prices.
Keynesian Economics
Keynesian theory emphasizes demand-side issues but acknowledges the role of financial markets and intermediaries, indirectly considering spreads through concepts like liquidity preference.
Marxian Economics
Marxian theories critique the existence of profits and rents in financial markets, which can relate to the spread earned by market-makers as a form of surplus extraction.
Institutional Economics
This framework considers the rules and norms governing financial transactions, including how spreads reflect institutional complexities like regulatory requirements and settlement mechanisms.
Behavioral Economics
Behavioral economists might examine how cognitive biases and heuristics among market participants lead to differing bid and offer prices, thus creating spreads.
Post-Keynesian Economics
Post-Keynesians would scrutinize spreads as part of the broader issue of financial instability and the behavior of financial markets under uncertainty.
Austrian Economics
Austrian economists might focus on spreads as a natural outcome of voluntary exchanges and individual valuations in a free-market setting.
Development Economics
The understanding of spreads in developing markets highlights obstacles such as lack of liquidity, market inefficiencies, and higher transaction costs compared to developed economies.
Monetarism
Monetarist perspectives consider spreads in the context of monetary policy and its effects on interest rates and financial market liquidity.
Comparative Analysis
Comparative analysis of spreads can reveal differences in market liquidity, transactions costs, and market efficiency across asset classes, regions, and market conditions. For instance, government securities tend to have narrower spreads compared to corporate bonds due to higher liquidity and lower default risk.
Case Studies
- The post-2008 financial crisis era saw narrowing spreads in many financial markets due to increased liquidity and central bank interventions.
- In periods of market volatility, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, spreads widened due to increased uncertainty and risk aversion among market participants.
Suggested Books for Further Studies
- “Market Liquidity: Theory, Evidence, and Policy” by Thierry Foucault, Marco Pagano, and Ailsa Röell
- “Financial Market Bubbles and Crashes” by Harold L. Vogel
- “Market Microstructure in Emerging and Developed Markets” by Halil Kiymaz, H. Kent Baker
Related Terms with Definitions
- Liquidity: The ease with which an asset can be bought or sold in the market without affecting its price.
- Transaction Costs: Expenses incurred when buying or selling securities, including broker fees and spreads.
- Market Efficiency: A market characteristic where prices fully reflect all available information.
- Arbitrage: Buying and selling equivalent financial instruments to exploit price discrepancies.
By understanding the concept of “spread,” market participants can make more informed decisions regarding trading strategies and the execution of trades in various financial markets.
