Price Discovery Process and Volatility Spillover in Spot and Futures Markets: Evidences of Individual Stocks

Abstract

This paper analyses information-based superiority of markets mainly with an objective of exploring arbitrage opportunities. It attempts to determine the lead-lag relationship between spot and futures markets in the Indian context by using high frequency price data of twelve individual stocks, observed at one-minute interval. The study applies the concept of co-integration and establishes the spot-futures relationship using Vector Error Correction Mechanism (VECM) represented by EGARCH framework. To study the price discovery process in the two markets, five lags each of one-minute resolution for nine individual stocks and four lags for the remaining three stocks are chosen. The key results of the study are given below: There is a contemporaneous and bi-directional lead-lag relationship between the spot and futures markets. A feedback mechanism of short life is functional between the two markets. Price discovery occurs in both the markets simultaneously. There exists short-term disequilibrium that could be corrected in the next period. Volatility spillover from spot market to futures market is present in such a way that a decrease in spot volatility leads to a decrease in futures volatility. Volatility shocks are asymmetric and persistent in both the markets. Spillover from futures market to spot market is not significant. Neither spot nor futures assume a considerable leading role and neither of the markets is supreme in price discovery. In the case of 33.33 per cent of spot values and 33.33 per cent of futures values, there exists short-term disequilibrium that could be corrected in the next period by decreasing the prices. Spot market volatility spills over to futures market in most of the cases (66.66 %) and a decrease in spot volatility brings about a decrease in futures volatility in 50 per cent of the cases. Spillover effect from futures to spot market is present and significant in 91.66 per cent of stocks and is more than the spillover effect from spot to futures (50% valid cases). The markets are highly integrated. Asymmetric behaviour of volatility shocks is mixed in both the markets. Asymmetric volatility is detected in 50 per cent of the cases of spot market and 58.33 per cent cases of futures market. Stocks exhibiting asymmetric volatility show more sensitivity to negative shocks. There are no cases of market becoming more volatile in response to good news.