Over-the-Counter Marketmaking

Abstract

We study how intermediation and asset prices are affected by illiquidity associated with search and bargaining. We compute explicitly marketmakers&rsqou; bid and ask prices in a dynamic model with strategic agents. Bid-ask spreads are lower if investors can more easily find other investors or have more easy access to multiple marketmakers. This distinguishes our theory from the information-based intermediation , which implies higher spreads in connection with higher investor sophistication. With a monopolistic marketmaker, bid-ask spreads are higher if investors have easier access to the marketmaker. We discuss several empirical implications and study endogenous search and welfare.