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When Is a Risky Asset "Urgently Needed"?

Author

Listed:
  • Felix Kubler
  • Larry Selden
  • Xiao Wei

Abstract

Risk free asset demand in the classic portfolio problem is shown to decrease with income if and only if the consumer's uncertainty preferences over assets satisfy the preference condition that the risk free asset is more readily substituted for the risky asset as the quantity of the latter increases. In this case, the risky asset is said to be "urgently needed" following the terminology of the classic certainty analysis of Johnson (1913). The urgently needed property tends to be more readily satisfied in uncertainty versus certainty settings. Asset pricing implications of this property are provided.

Suggested Citation

  • Felix Kubler & Larry Selden & Xiao Wei, 2014. "When Is a Risky Asset "Urgently Needed"?," American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 6(2), pages 131-162, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejmic:v:6:y:2014:i:2:p:131-62
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/mic.6.2.131
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Barnett, Richard & Bhattacharya, Joydeep & Bunzel, Helle, 2016. "The Fight-or-Flight Response to the Joneses," School of Economics Working Paper Series 2016-12, LeBow College of Business, Drexel University.
    2. Barnett, Richard C. & Bhattacharya, Joydeep & Bunzel, Helle, 2019. "The fight-or-flight response to the Joneses and inequality," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 187-210.
    3. Barnett, Richard C. & Bhattacharya, Joydeep & Bunzel, Helle, 2018. "The Fight-or-Flight Response to the Joneses and Income Inequality," ISU General Staff Papers 201812120800001060, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D11 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Theory
    • D53 - Microeconomics - - General Equilibrium and Disequilibrium - - - Financial Markets
    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates

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