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Robust comparative statics for the elasticity of intertemporal substitution

Author

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  • Flynn, Joel P.

    (Department of Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Schmidt, Lawrence D. W.

    (Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Toda, Alexis Akira

    (Department of Economics, University of California San Diego)

Abstract

We study a general class of consumption-savings problems with recursive preferences. We characterize the sign of the consumption response to arbitrary shocks in terms of the product of two sufficient statistics: the elasticity of intertemporal substitution between contemporaneous consumption and continuation utility (EIS), and the relative elasticity of the marginal value of wealth (REMV). Under homotheticity, the REMV always equals one, so the propensity of the agent to save or dis-save is always signed by the relationship of the EIS with unity. We apply our results to derive comparative statics in classical problems of portfolio allocation, consumption-savings with income risk, and entrepreneurial investment. Our results suggest empirical identification strategies for both the value of the EIS and its relationship with unity.

Suggested Citation

  • Flynn, Joel P. & Schmidt, Lawrence D. W. & Toda, Alexis Akira, 2023. "Robust comparative statics for the elasticity of intertemporal substitution," Theoretical Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 18(1), January.
    • Handle: RePEc:the:publsh:4117
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Elasticity of intertemporal substitution; identification; recursive preferences;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D15 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Intertemporal Household Choice; Life Cycle Models and Saving

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