Liquid Co-Illiquidity Management

Abstract

We study the link between illiquidity and co-movement in illiquidity and the way asset managers trade off illiquidity and co-illiquidity in their portfolio allocation decision. By exploring two experiments – the 2005 SHO Regulation and the 2008 short selling ban – we document that in the face of sudden illiquidity shocks, short-term investors are willing to accept higher portfolio co-illiquidity to circumvent an increase in their holdings’ illiquidity.

Keywords: Short-sales constraints, liquidity, commonality, mutual funds