New Regulations, Lower HFT Volumes May Jack Up Your Transaction Costs

Transaction costs fell significantly in the US and Europe in the six years preceding 2012, and the least in Asia in that period, observes a study on market structure by Credit Suisse analysts Phil Mackintosh and Liesbeth Baudewyn.

Transaction costs on the rise in the past two years

However, “in the past two years, all regions have seen a general increase in transaction costs as volumes have declined,” say the analysts.

Note that commissions are just one aspect of trading costs. Transaction costs refer primarily to the difference between an investor's average trade price versus either 1) the last price traded or 2) midpoint of the bid-ask spread when the investor began trading. Therefore, transaction costs are also affected by the...