Adding to the Regulator's Toolbox: Integration and Extension of Two Leading Market Models

Abstract: As demonstrated during the recent financial crisis, regulators require additional analytical tools to assess systemic risk in the financial sector. This paper describes one such tool; namely a novel market modeling and analysis capability. Our model builds upon two leading market models: one which emphasizes market micro-structure and another which emphasizes an ecology of trading strategies. We address a limitation of market modeling, namely the consideration of only one dominant trading strategy (i.e., long positions). Our model aligns closely with several widely held stylized facts of financial markets. And a final contribution of this work stems from our empirical analysis of the fractal nature of both empirical markets and our market model.