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Putty-Clay Technology And Stock Market Volatility

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  • Francois Gourio

    (Boston University, Department of Economics)

Abstract

I derive a production-based asset pricing formula to infer aggregate stock market returns from macroeconomic time series when the technology is putty-clay. Capital heterogeneity leads to variation in the aggregate stock market value through a new compositional effect. The asset pricing formula, which holds regardless of the stochastic discount factor, predicts that stock returns are high when the ratio of investment to gross job creation is low. This contrasts with the adjustment cost model which predicts that stock returns are high when the investment-capital ratio is high. Incorporating the putty-clay technology increases substantially the ability of the adjustment cost model to match the data on U.S. stock returns.

Suggested Citation

  • Francois Gourio, 2007. "Putty-Clay Technology And Stock Market Volatility," Boston University - Department of Economics - Working Papers Series WP2007-005, Boston University - Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:bos:wpaper:wp2007-005
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    Cited by:

    1. Lee, Yoonsoo & Mukoyama, Toshihiko, 2015. "Entry and exit of manufacturing plants over the business cycle," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 20-27.
    2. Ishise, Hirokazu, 2016. "Capital heterogeneity as a source of comparative advantage: Putty-clay technology in a ricardian model," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 223-236.
    3. Isaac Sorkin, 2015. "Are There Long-Run Effects of the Minimum Wage?," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 18(2), pages 306-333, April.
    4. John H. Cochrane, 2017. "Macro-Finance," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 21(3), pages 945-985.
    5. R. Førsund, Finn & Vislie, Jon, 2011. "From Macro Growth to Disaggregated Production Studies," Memorandum 22/2011, Oslo University, Department of Economics.
    6. Bayer, Christian & Mecikovsky, Ariel & Meier, Matthias, 2018. "Misallocation: Markups and Technology," CEPR Discussion Papers 12727, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    7. Francois Gourio, 2012. "Disaster Risk and Business Cycles," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 102(6), pages 2734-2766, October.
    8. Calvet, Laurent E. & Betermier, Sebastien & Jo, Evan, 2019. "A Supply and Demand Approach to Equity Pricing," CEPR Discussion Papers 13974, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    9. Martino Pelli & Jeanne Tschopp & Natalia Bezmaternykh & Kodjovi M Eklou, 2020. "In the Eye of the Storm: Firms, Putty-Clay and Capital Destruction," Diskussionsschriften dp2012, Universitaet Bern, Departement Volkswirtschaft.
    10. Matthias Meier & Ariel Mecikovsky & Christian Bayer, 2014. "Dynamics of Factor Productivity Dispersions," 2014 Meeting Papers 719, Society for Economic Dynamics.

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