This paper examines the effect of an introduction of options on individual
securities during the period 1974-1980. Using an event study methodology around
the date of option introduction and announcement of introduction on the American Option Exchange and the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, it appears
that introduction (and not announcement) causes a permanent price increase.
Both the size and timing of the price effect are constant through the six years in
the sample.9 The price effect is accompanied by a decline in volatility; however,
this cross-sectional decrease in the variance of excess returns did not appear to
explain a significant portion of the cross-sectional variability in the price increase.
The systematic risk of securities does not appear to be affected by option
introduction. The price increase is positively related to opening day trading
volume in the option. This fact and the timing of the price effect (beginning
approximately three days before introduction) may suggest that the dealers or
other traders are building inventory for hedging purposes in anticipation of the
trading volume in the option.