The Liquidity Effect in Bank-Based and Market-Based Financial Systems

This paper assesses how the financial system influences the strength of the liquidity effect in a calibrated limited participation model of the monetary transmission mechanism. The model suggests that bankbased systems should be characterized by smaller liquidity effects since monetary injections are spread out over a larger number of firms.limited participation; transmission mechanism; financial systems

International Risk Sharing and Investor Protection: Some Evidence from the EU-15

This note analyzes consumption risk sharing among the EU-15 countries. It is found that the reaction of consumption growth rates to idiosyncratic income growth is too sensitive to be consistent with perfect risk sharing. Some evidence is presented in favor the hypothesis that institutional and legal aspects determine the amount of risk sharing a country can achieve. In particular, countries characterized by high levels of investor protection appear to achieve less consumption insurance.

Interest Rate Pass-Through, Monetary Policy Rules and Macroeconomic Stability

In this paper we analyze equilibrium determinacy in a sticky price model in which the pass-through from policy rates to retail interest rates is sluggish and potentially incomplete. In addition, we empirically characterize and compare the interest rate pass-through process in the euro area and the U.S. We find that if the pass-through is incomplete in the long run, the standard Taylor principle is insufficient to guarantee equilibrium determinacy. Our empirical analysis indicates that this result might be particularly relevant for bank-based financial systems as for instance that in the euro area.Interest Rate Pass-Through, Equilibrium Determinacy, Stability

Have Consumption Risks in the G7 Countries Become Diversified?

This paper studies the dynamics of international consumption risk sharing among the G7 countries. Based on the dynamic conditional correlation model due to Engle (2002), we construct a time-varying, consumption-based measure of risk sharing. We find that although the exposure to countryspecific shocks has declined in the G7 countries, with Japan being an exception, the evolution of risk sharing is rather heterogeneous across countries.Dynamic conditional correlation, consumption risk sharing

The Synchronization of GDP Growth in the G7 during U.S. Recessions. Is this Time Different?

Using the dynamic conditional correlation (DCC) model due to Engle (2002), we estimate time varying correlations of quarterly real GDP growth among the G7 countries. In general, we find that rathe heterogeneous patterns of international synchronization exist during U.S. recessions. During the 2007 - 2009 recession, however, international co-movement increased substantially.Dynamic conditional correlation, Business cycle synchronization, Recession

Marriage, Divorce and Interstate Risk Sharing

In this paper we study the importance of marriage for interstate risk sharing. We find that US states in which married couples account for a higher share of the population are less exposed to state-specific output shocks. Thus, marriages do not just improve the allocation of risk at the individual level, but also have implications for the allocation of risk at the more aggregated state-level. Quantitatively, the impact of marriage on interstate risk sharing varies over divorce regimes.risk sharing, marriage, divorce, family law

Government Size and International Consumption Risk Sharing

We investigate the influence of government size on the exposure of consumption growth to country-specific fluctuations in output growth using a sample of OECD countries. To the extent that governments are less constrained on international financial markets, it appears conceivable that governments diversify risks interna- tionally on behalf of agents. Our results indicate that the extent of international risk sharing is unrelated to the size of the public sector.Government Size, International Risk Sharing

Banks, Financial Markets and International Consumption Risk Sharing

In this paper we empirically explore how characteristics of the domestic financial system in uence the international allocation of consumption risk using a sample of OECD countries. Our results show that the extent of risk sharing achieved does not depend on the overall development of the domestic financial system per se. Rather, it depends on how the financial system is organized. Speciffcally, we find that coun- tries characterized by developed financial markets are less exposed to idiosyncratic risk, whereas the development of the banking sector contributes little to the inter- national diversification of consumption risk.International Risk Sharing, Financial Development, Financial System

Noisy Information, Interest Rate Shocks and the Great Moderation

In this paper we quantitatively evaluate the hypothesis that the Great Moderation is partly the result of a less activist monetary policy. We simulate a New Keynesian model where the central bank can only observe a noisy estimate of the output gap and fnd that the less pronounced reaction of the Federal Reserve to output gap uctuations since 1979 can account for half of the reduction in the standard deviation of GDP associated with the Great Moderation. Our simulations are consistent with the empirically documented smaller magnitude and impact of interest rate shocks since the early 1980s.Great Moderation, New Keynesian Model, Noisy Data

Banks, Financial Markets and International Consumption Risk Sharing

In this paper we empirically explore how characteristics of the domestic financial system influence the international allocation of consumption risk using a sample of OECD countries. Our results show that the extent of risk sharing achieved does not depend on the overall development of the domestic financial system per se. Rather, it depends on how the financial system is organized. Specifically, we find that coun- tries characterized by developed financial markets are less exposed to idiosyncratic risk, whereas the development of the banking sector contributes little to the inter- national diversification of consumption risk.International Risk Sharing, Financial Development, Financial System