IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/reveho/v18y2020i3d10.1007_s11150-019-09472-z.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The diversity of household assets holdings in the United States in 2007 and 2009: measurement and determinants

Author

Listed:
  • Eva M. Sierminska

    (LISER
    DIW
    IZA
    GLO—virtual network affiliated with Bonn University)

  • Jacques Silber

    (LISER
    Bar-Ilan University
    Centro Camilo Dagum, Tuscan Interuniversity Centre, Advanced Statistics for Equitable and Sustainable Development)

Abstract

We apply diversity indices, such as the Gini-Simpson index and entropy related indices, to the study of the distribution of individual asset holdings in the United States in 2007 and 2009. We examine the impact of the 2008 recession on asset diversity and the way individual socio-economic characteristics as well as important life events affect this measure. The focus of our analysis is on financial assets. We use a unique panel data set that provides us with comprehensive household level data for 2007 and 2009 in the United States—the Survey of Consumer Finances. We find that asset diversity increases between 2007 and 2009. In addition, it increases with age, education and income and it is lower at the bottom of the wealth distribution. Life changing situations such as getting divorced or losing one’s job have a statistically significant negative effect on a change in diversity, while getting married or having deteriorating health have a positive effect. Active money management also affects asset diversity positively.

Suggested Citation

  • Eva M. Sierminska & Jacques Silber, 2020. "The diversity of household assets holdings in the United States in 2007 and 2009: measurement and determinants," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 18(3), pages 599-634, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:reveho:v:18:y:2020:i:3:d:10.1007_s11150-019-09472-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s11150-019-09472-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11150-019-09472-z
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11150-019-09472-z?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version below or search for a different version of it.

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Barasinska, Nataliya & Schäfer, Dorothea & Stephan, Andreas, 2012. "Individual Risk Attitudes and the Composition of Financial Portfolios: Evidence from German Household Portfolios," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 52(1), pages 1-14.
    2. Briggs, Joseph & Cesarini, David & Lindqvist, Erik & Östling, Robert, 2021. "Windfall gains and stock market participation," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 139(1), pages 57-83.
    3. Cardak, Buly A. & Wilkins, Roger, 2009. "The determinants of household risky asset holdings: Australian evidence on background risk and other factors," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 33(5), pages 850-860, May.
    4. Gorecki, Paul K, 1974. "The Measurement of Enterprise Diversification," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 56(3), pages 399-401, August.
    5. Victor DeMiguel & Lorenzo Garlappi & Raman Uppal, 2009. "Optimal Versus Naive Diversification: How Inefficient is the 1-N Portfolio Strategy?," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 22(5), pages 1915-1953, May.
    6. van Rooij, Maarten & Lusardi, Annamaria & Alessie, Rob, 2011. "Financial literacy and stock market participation," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(2), pages 449-472, August.
    7. Cristian Badarinza & John Y. Campbell & Tarun Ramadorai, 2016. "International Comparative Household Finance," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 8(1), pages 111-144, October.
    8. Merlin M. Hackbart & Donald A. Anderson, 1975. "On Measuring Economic Diversification," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 51(4), pages 374-378.
    9. Leslie Hannah & J. A. Kay, 1977. "The Measurement of Concentration," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Concentration in Modern Industry, chapter 4, pages 41-63, Palgrave Macmillan.
    10. Hilary Hoynes & Douglas L. Miller & Jessamyn Schaller, 2012. "Who Suffers during Recessions?," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 26(3), pages 27-48, Summer.
    11. Berry, Charles H, 1971. "Corporate Growth and Diversification," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 14(2), pages 371-384, October.
    12. Jesse Bricker & Brian Bucks & Arthur Kennickell & Traci Mach & Kevin Moore, 2014. "Drowning or Weathering the Storm? Changes in Family Finances from 2007 to 2009," NBER Chapters, in: Measuring Wealth and Financial Intermediation and Their Links to the Real Economy, pages 323-348, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    13. Richard H. Thaler & Shlomo Benartzi, 2001. "Naive Diversification Strategies in Defined Contribution Saving Plans," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(1), pages 79-98, March.
    14. Leslie Hannah & J. A. Kay, 1977. "Concentration in Modern Industry," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-349-02773-6, March.
    15. Utton, M A, 1977. "Large Firm Diversification in British Manufacturing Industry," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 87(345), pages 96-113, March.
    16. Barry Bosworth, 2012. "Economic Consequences of the Great Recession: Evidence from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics," Working Papers, Center for Retirement Research at Boston College wp2012-4, Center for Retirement Research, revised Feb 2012.
    17. Arthur Kennickell & Annamaria Lusardi, 2004. "Disentangling the Importance of the Precautionary Saving Mode," NBER Working Papers 10888, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    18. Claire Célérier & Boris Vallée, 2017. "Catering to Investors Through Security Design: Headline Rate and Complexity," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 132(3), pages 1469-1508.
    19. Gideon Rosenbluth, 1955. "Measures of Concentration," NBER Chapters, in: Business Concentration and Price Policy, pages 57-99, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    20. Andrew C. Worthington, 2009. "Household Asset Portfolio Diversification: Evidence from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey," Discussion Papers in Finance finance:200908, Griffith University, Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics.
    21. Charles R. Hulten & Marshall B. Reinsdorf, 2015. "Measuring Wealth and Financial Intermediation and Their Links to the Real Economy," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number hult10-1.
    22. George J. Stigler, Chairman, Universities-National Bureau Committee for Economic Research, 1955. "Business Concentration and Price Policy," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number univ55-1.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Cupák, Andrej & Fessler, Pirmin & Hsu, Joanne W. & Paradowski, Piotr R., 2022. "Investor confidence and high financial literacy jointly shape investments in risky assets," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    2. Caetano, Rafaela Vital & Marques, António Cardoso & Afonso, Tiago Lopes & Vieira, Isabel, 2023. "Could Private Investment in Energy Infrastructure soften the environmental impacts of Foreign Direct Investment? An assessment of developing countries," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 961-977.
    3. Dorothea Schäfer & Michael Stöckel & Henriette Weser, 2020. "Crisis Impact on the Diversity of Financial Portfolios: Evidence from European Citizens," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1899, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    4. Mesly, Olivier, 2023. "Irrational exuberance and deception — Why markets spin out of control," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C).
    5. Schäfer, Dorothea & Stephan, Andreas & Weser, Henriette, 2023. "Crisis stress for the diversity of financial portfolios — evidence from European households," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 330-347.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Francisco Gomes & Michael Haliassos & Tarun Ramadorai, 2021. "Household Finance," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 59(3), pages 919-1000, September.
    2. Ivan Brezina & Juraj Pekár, 2013. "Analýza citlivosti hodnot Herfidalovho-Hirschmanovho indexu slovenského bankového sektora [Sensitivity Analysis of Herfindahl-Hirschman Index on the Slovak Banking Sector]," Politická ekonomie, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2013(6), pages 735-751.
    3. Lu, Xiaomeng & Guo, Jiaojiao & Gan, Li, 2020. "International comparison of household asset allocation: Micro-evidence from cross-country comparisons," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
    4. Wen, Chufu & Zhao, Xinyu & Xu, Longhao & Yin, Hua, 2023. "Military experience and household stock market participation: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    5. repec:wsr:wpaper:y:2010:i:062 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Schäfer, Dorothea & Stephan, Andreas & Weser, Henriette, 2023. "Crisis stress for the diversity of financial portfolios — evidence from European households," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 330-347.
    7. Stamatios Tsigos & Kevin Daly, 2016. "“Fair go” for all? Wealth and Risk Aversion of Australian Households," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(3), pages 274-300, September.
    8. Oehler, Andreas & Wanger, Hans Philipp, 2020. "Household portfolio optimization with XTFs? An empirical study using the SHS-base," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    9. Raslan Alzuabi & Sarah Brown & Mark N. Harris & Karl Taylor, 2024. "Modelling the composition of household portfolios: A latent class approach," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 57(1), pages 243-275, February.
    10. Zuzana Brokesova & Andrej Cupak & Gueorgui Kolev, 2017. "Financial literacy and voluntary savings for retirement in Slovakia," Working and Discussion Papers WP 10/2017, Research Department, National Bank of Slovakia.
    11. I. Brezina & J. Pekár & Z. Čičková & M. Reiff, 2016. "Herfindahl–Hirschman index level of concentration values modification and analysis of their change," Central European Journal of Operations Research, Springer;Slovak Society for Operations Research;Hungarian Operational Research Society;Czech Society for Operations Research;Österr. Gesellschaft für Operations Research (ÖGOR);Slovenian Society Informatika - Section for Operational Research;Croatian Operational Research Society, vol. 24(1), pages 49-72, March.
    12. Sofia Vale & Francisco Camões, 2017. "Housing valuation, wealth perception, and households’ portfolio composition," EcoMod2017 10565, EcoMod.
    13. Feng, Chen & Bai, Caiquan & Kang, Yankun, 2023. "Historical social capital and contemporary private investment choices," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    14. Christian Ehm & Christine Laudenbach & Martin Weber, 2018. "Focusing on volatility information instead of portfolio weights as an aid to investor decisions," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 21(2), pages 457-480, June.
    15. Dekui Jia & Ruihai Li & Shibo Bian & Christopher Gan, 2021. "Financial Planning Ability, Risk Perception and Household Portfolio Choice," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(8), pages 2153-2175, June.
    16. Patrick Krieger & Carsten Lausberg & Kristin Wellner, 2018. "Einblicke in die Gründe für nicht-normalverteilte Immobilienrenditen: eine explorative Untersuchung deutscher Wohnimmobilienportfolios [Insights into the reasons for non-normal real estate returns:," Zeitschrift für Immobilienökonomie (German Journal of Real Estate Research), Springer;Gesellschaft für Immobilienwirtschaftliche Forschung e. V., vol. 4(1), pages 49-79, November.
    17. Ikerne Valle & Kepa Astorkiza & Ignacio Díaz-Emparanza, 2017. "Measuring species concentration, diversification and dependency in a macro-fishery," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 52(4), pages 1689-1713, June.
    18. Cupák, Andrej & Fessler, Pirmin & Hsu, Joanne W. & Paradowski, Piotr R., 2022. "Investor confidence and high financial literacy jointly shape investments in risky assets," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    19. Benny Geys & Bruno Heyndels, 2006. "Disentangling The Effects Of Political Fragmentation On Voter Turnout: The Flemish Municipal Elections," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(3), pages 367-387, November.
    20. Abraham Nunes & Thomas Trappenberg & Martin Alda, 2020. "Measuring heterogeneity in normative models as the effective number of deviation patterns," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(11), pages 1-16, November.
    21. Yinan Yang & Qian Wang, 2018. "Insurance Inclusion, Time Preference And Stock Investment Of The Chinese Households," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 63(01), pages 27-44, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Diversity; Financial assets; Great Recession; United States; Wealth;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:reveho:v:18:y:2020:i:3:d:10.1007_s11150-019-09472-z. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.