Mark-up and Capital Structure of the Firm facing Uncertainty

This note shows that, with pre-set price and capital decisions of firms facing uncertainty and financial market imperfections, price, mark up and the expected degree of capacity utilization (resp. capital) decreases (resp. increases) with the firm internal net worth.Capital, Pricing, capital market imperfections

Improving Consistent Moment Selection Procedures for Generalized Method of Moments Estimation

This paper proposes consistent moment selection procedures for generalized method of moments estimation based on the J test of over-identifying restrictions (Hansen [1982]) and on the Eichenbaum, Hansen and Singleton [1988] test of the validity of a subset of moment conditions.Generalized method of moments, test of over-identifying restrictions, test of subset of over-identifying restrictions, Consistent Moment Selection

Structural Modelling of Financial Constraints on Investment: Where Do We Stand?

This paper surveys issues with respect to the structural modelling of econometric tests of investment facing financial constraints, to their link with firms data and asset prices, and to their consequences for macroeconomic modelling. The key issue is to provide conditions which support the interpretation of the sensitivity of investment to liquidity variables such as cash flow as a measure of financial constraints. The structural modelling of investment facing financial constraints is also limited by the structural modelling of the forces driving investment dynamics such as adjustment costs, which has not been so successful empirically.Investment, Financial Constraints, Structural models

Structural modelling of investment and financial constraints: Where do we stand?

This paper surveys issues with respect to the structural modelling of econometric tests of investment facing financial constraints, to their link with firms data and assets prices, and to their impact in macroeconomic modelling. The key issue is to ground much more the interpretation of the sensitivity of investment to liquidity variables such as cash flow as a measure of financial constraints. The structural modelling of investment facing financial constraints is also limited by the structural modelling of the force driving investment dynamics such as adjustment costs, which has not been so successful empirically.

A finite set of equilibria for the indeterminacy of linear rational expectations models

This paper demonstrates the existence of a finite set of equilibria in the case of the indeterminacy of linear rational expectations models. The number of equilibria corresponds to the number of ways to select n eigenvectors among a larger set of eigenvectors related to stable eigenvalues. A finite set of equilibria is a substitute to continuous (uncountable) sets of sunspots equilibria, when the number of independent eigenvectors for each stable eigenvalue is equal to one

Stability and Identification with Optimal Macroprudential Policy Rules

This paper investigates the identification, the determinacy and the stability of ad hoc, "quasi-optimal" and optimal policy rules augmented with financial stability indicators (such as asset prices deviations from their fundamental values) and minimizing the volatility of the policy interest rates, when the central bank precommits to financial stability. Firstly, ad hoc and quasi-optimal rules parameters of financial stability indicators cannot be identified. For those rules, non zero policy rule parameters of financial stability indicators are observationally equivalent to rule parameters set to zero in another rule, so that they are unable to inform monetary policy. Secondly, under controllability conditions, optimal policy rules parameters of financial stability indicators can all be identified, along with a bounded solution stabilizing an unstable economy as in Woodford (2003), with determinacy of the initial conditions of non- predetermined variables.Comment: 18 page

Investment, the cost of capital, and monetary policy in the nineties in France: a panel data investigation

Using a large panel of 6,946 French manufacturing firms, this paper investigates the effect of monetary policy on investment from 1990 to 1999 through the cost-of-capital and the cash-flow channels. We compare several specifications of neo-classical demand for capital, taking into account transitory dynamics. The user cost of capital has a significant negative elasticity with respect to capital using traditional Within estimates, or as long as cash-flow is not added to the regression when using Generalised Method of Moments estimates. Asymmetries of effect of monetary policy are evaluated for different groups of firms which differ in terms of informational asymmetries. When dummy variables related to firms which are more sensitive to cash-flow are added in the model, the user cost elasticity is significant again JEL Classification: C23, D21, D92cost of capital, generalised method of moments, Investment, monetary policy

Investment and the Cost of Capital in the Nineties in France: A Panel Data Investigation

Using a large panel of 6,946 French manufacturing firms, this paper investigates the effect of the cost of capital and on cash flow on investment from 1990 to 1999. We compare several specifications of neo-classical demand for capital, taking into account transitory dynamics. The user cost of capital has a significant negative elasticity with respect to capital using traditional Within estimates, or as long as cash-flow is not added to the regressionwhen using Generalised Method of Moments estimates. When dummy variablesrelated to firms more sensitive to cash flow are added in the model, the user cost elasticityis significant again and its estimate s is at most -0,26.Investment, User Cost, Panel data

Can financial infrastructures foster economic development?

In this paper, financial infrastructures increase the efficiency of the banking sector: they decrease the market power (due to horizontal differentiation) of the financial intermediaries, lower the cost of capital, increase the number of depositors and the amount of intermediated savings, factors which in turn increase the growth rate and may help countries to take off from a poverty trap. Taxation finances financial infrastructures and decreases the private productivity of capital. Growth and welfare maximising levels of financial infrastructures are computed.Endogenous growth; Imperfect competition; Financial infrastructures