Changes in the volatility level and structure of shares post single stock futures trading

The introduction of single stock futures to a market presents the opportunity to assess an individual company’s response to futures trading directly, in contrast to the market-wide impact obtained from index futures studies. The listed shares of thirty-eight South African companies were evaluated in terms of a possible volatility effect due to the initial trading of their respective single stock futures contacts. A GARCH(1,1) model established a volatility structure (pattern of behaviour) per company. Results, in general, showed a reduction in the level and changes in the structure of spot market volatility post single stock futures.