Do Smartphone Apps Enhance Smart Trading Decisions?

Smart devices and their user interfaces, ?apps? (SDA), have gained rapid acceptance amongst consumers. However, the impact of this technology?s use on the nature and quality of individual decisions has remained under-researched. We fill this gap by examining 4.5 million trades of 5315 investors in the UK spread trading markets. The results suggest that there are demographic differences between those who do and do not use smart devices for trading. In addition, even after controlling for these, there are differences in the performance and nature of trading decisions of these two groups. In addition, we show that those who use SDA at some time tend to achieve higher Sharp Ratios, but exercise less trading discipline (measured by disposition effect). Importantly, those who at some time have used smart devices for trading, achieve improved performance (in terms of returns) and risk control (higher Sharp Ratios), when they use SDA compared to when they use traditional trading channels. However, when they use SDA they tend to be more subject to the disposition effect. We discuss the possible reasons for our findings and the implications for financial market operators, regulators and for the efficiency of markets.