WP03-18
Multiple Equilibria in Open Economy Models with Collateral Constraints: Overborrowing Revisited
Abstract
This paper was presented by Professor Martín Uribe at the 7th NCID Research Workshop.
This paper establishes the existence of multiple equilibria in infinite-horizon open- economy models in which the value of tradable and nontradable endowments serves as collateral. In this environment, the economy is shown to display self-fulfilling financial crises in which pessimistic views about the value of collateral induce agents to delever- age. The paper shows that under plausible calibrations, there exist equilibria with underborrowing. This result stands in contrast to the overborrowing result stressed in the related literature. Underborrowing emerges in the present context because in economies that are prone to self-fulfilling financial crises, individual agents engage in excessive precautionary savings as a way to self-insure.
Key words: Pecuniary externalities, collateral constraints, overborrowing, underborrowing, financial crises, capital controls.
Authors: Stephanie Schmitt-Grohé, Martín Uribe
N° Pages: 40
Clasification: E44, F41, G01, H23