Asset Prices and Volume in a Beauty Contest

The dynamics of prices and volume are investigated in a market where agents disagree about the fundamental value of the asset. The distribution of beliefs is not taken to be common knowledge. The resulting infinite hierarchy of beliefs is solved by making the assumption that, prior to the first trading round, agents consider themselves to be average. Speculation is shown to generate substantial volatility and volume, bid and transaction price predictability, rich patterns of volume, and an inverse relationship between changes in transaction prices and the number of trading rounds without volume.