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As a centralized, computerized, limit order market, the Paris Bourse is particularly appropriate for studying the interaction between the order book and order flow. Descriptive methods capture the richness of the data and distinctive aspects of the market structure. Order flow is concentrated near the quote, while the depth of the book is somewhat larger at nearby valuations. We analyze the supply and demand of liquidity. For example, thin books elicit orders and thick books result in trades. To gain price and time priority, investors quickly place orders within the quotes when the depth at the quotes or the spread is large. Consistent with information effects, downward (upward) shifts in both bid and ask quotes occur after large sales (purchases). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Before the opening of the Paris Bourse, traders place orders and indicative prices are set. This offers a laboratory to study empirically the tâtonnement process through which markets discover equilibrium prices. Since preopening orders can be revised or canceled before the opening, indicative prices could be noise. We test this against the hypothesis that preopening prices reflect learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]