Distribution characteristics of stock market liquidity

• This paper investigates the distribution characteristics of stock market liquidity. • This paper utilizes the GAMLSS model and high-frequency data from Chinese stock markets. • The mean and variance of stock market liquidity move in the opposite directions. • The stock market liquidity normally exhibits a positive skewness. • The stock market liquidity exhibits a normal distribution at a low level of stock market index. a b s t r a c t We examine the distribution characteristics of stock market liquidity by employing the generalized additive models for location, scale and shape (GAMLSS) model and three-minute frequency data from Chinese stock markets. We find that the BCPE distribution within the GAMLSS framework fits the distributions of stock market liquidity well with the diagnosis test. We also find that the stock market index exhibits a significant impact on the distributions of stock market liquidity. The stock market liquidity usually exhibits a positive skewness, but a normal distribution at a low level of stock market index and a high-peak and fat-tail shape at a high level of stock market index.