The Role of Liquidity in the Pricing of Stocks Traded on the Istanbul Stock Exchange

Abstract

The role of liquidity in the pricing of stocks traded on the Istanbul Stock Exchange This paper extends the empirical literature on the relationship between liquidity and stock returns by providing evidence from the Istanbul Stock Exchange. Using share turnover as a proxy for liquidity, this relationship is examined in two alternative ways. First, Fama and MacBeth (1973) cross-sectional regressions are employed with liquidity, beta, size and book to market ratio serving as potentia firm characteristics that may be relevant for pricing. Second, the role of liquidity is examined in a Fama and French (1993) framework. The findings reveal the following: Liquidity and book-to-market value are identified as two firm characteristics that appear to contain information about variation in expected returns. Moreover based on the explanatory power of the model and the Outcome of the Gibbon, Ross, and Shanken (1989) test, Fama and French (1993) three-factor asset-pricing model augmented by the liquidity factor appears to fit the data well.