Algorithmic Trading vs. Bid-Offer Spreads, Volatility, and the Distribution of Profits and Losses: A Simulation

Algorithmic trading leads to contradictory conclusions of market participants and observers: While the former blame it to break the market, the latter find it makes it better. To explain these contradictory views, we create a few-type market simulation in a discrete-time, one-asset world. We analyse both the observable factors average bid-offer spread and volatility as well as the unobservable distribution of profits and losses of the market participants. We conclude that regarding HFT, market observers and market participants talk at cross-purposes.