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Fragility of Competitive Equilibrium with Risk of Default

Author

Listed:
  • Gaetano Bloise

    (University of Rome III)

  • Pietro Reichlin

    (LUISS)

  • Mario Tirelli

    (University of Rome III)

Abstract

We study competitive equilibrium in sequential economies under limited commitment. Default induces permanent exclusion from financial markets and endogenously determined solvency constraints prevent debt repudiation. Our analysis shows that such an enforcement mechanism is essentially fragile, leading to equilibrium multiplicity. We accomplish this by establishing Welfare Theorems under a weaker notion of constrained efficiency, inspired by Malinvaud, corresponding to the absence of welfare mproving feasible redistributions over finite (though indefinite) horizons. A Negishi's Method permits to show that, for any arbitrary value of social welfare in between autarchy and constrained optimality, there exists an equilibrium attaining that value. Thus, competitive equilibria might differ dramatically in terms of volumes of trade, asset price volatility, individuals' ability to insure against idiosyncratic risk and consumption inequality. (Copyright: Elsevier)

Suggested Citation

  • Gaetano Bloise & Pietro Reichlin & Mario Tirelli, 2013. "Fragility of Competitive Equilibrium with Risk of Default," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 16(2), pages 271-295, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:red:issued:11-290
    DOI: 10.1010/j.red.2013.01.002
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Victor Filipe Martins da Rocha & Toan Phan & Yiannis Vailakis, 2019. "Debt Limits and Credit Bubbles in General Equilibrium," Post-Print hal-02429759, HAL.
    2. Beker, Pablo & Emilio Espino, 2015. "Short-Term Momentum and Long-Term Reversal of Returns under Limited Enforceability and Belief Heterogeneity," The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) 1096, University of Warwick, Department of Economics.
    3. Gaetano Bloise, 2013. "The structure of competitive equilibrium with unsecured debt," Departmental Working Papers of Economics - University 'Roma Tre' 0187, Department of Economics - University Roma Tre.
    4. Martins-da-Rocha, V. Filipe & Vailakis, Yiannis, 2015. "Constrained efficiency without commitment," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 276-286.
    5. Zachary Bethune & Tai-Wei Hu & Guillaume Rocheteau, 2018. "Optimal Credit Cycles," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 27, pages 231-245, January.
    6. Beker, Pablo F. & Espino, Emilio, 2013. "Too Good to Be True: Asset Pricing Implications of Pessimism," Economic Research Papers 270428, University of Warwick - Department of Economics.
    7. Bidian, Florin, 2016. "Robust bubbles with mild penalties for default," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 141-153.
    8. Victor Filipe Martins da Rocha & Yiannis Vailakis, 2015. "Constrained Efficiency Without Commitment," Working Papers hal-01097121, HAL.
    9. Bethune, Zachary & Hu, Tai-Wei & Rocheteau, Guillaume, 2018. "Indeterminacy in credit economies," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 556-584.
    10. Beker, Pablo F & Espino, Emilio, 2013. "Too Good to Be True: Asset Pricing Implications of Pessimism," The Warwick Economics Research Paper Series (TWERPS) 1031, University of Warwick, Department of Economics.
    11. Florin Bidian & Camelia Bejan, 2015. "Martingale properties of self-enforcing debt," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 60(1), pages 35-57, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Limited commitment; Solvency constraints; Malinvaud efficiency; Welfare Theorems; Negishi's Method; Indeterminacy; Market collapse;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D50 - Microeconomics - - General Equilibrium and Disequilibrium - - - General
    • D52 - Microeconomics - - General Equilibrium and Disequilibrium - - - Incomplete Markets
    • D61 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Allocative Efficiency; Cost-Benefit Analysis
    • E44 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Financial Markets and the Macroeconomy
    • G13 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Contingent Pricing; Futures Pricing

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