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Income and Consumption Smoothing among US States: Regions or Clubs?

Author

Listed:
  • Bent E. Sørensen

    (Brown University)

  • Oved Yosha

    (Tel-Aviv University)

Abstract

We quantify the amount of cross-sectional income and consumption smoothing achieved within subgroups of states, such as regions or clubs, e.g. the club of rich states. We find that there is much income smoothing between as well as within regions. By contrast, consumption smoothing occurs mainly within regions but not between regions. This suggests that capital markets transcend regional barriers while credit markets are regional in their nature. Smoothing within the club of rich states is accomplished mainly via capital markets whereas consumption smoothing is dominant within the club of poor states. The fraction of a shock to gross state products smoothed by the federal tax-transfer system is the same for various regions and other clubs of states. We calculate the scope for consumption smoothing within various regions and clubs, finding that most gains from risk sharing can be achieved within US regions. Since a considerable fraction of shocks to gross state product are smoothed within regions, we conclude that existing markets achieve a substantial fraction of the potential welfare gains from interstate income and consumption smoothing. Nonetheless, non-negligible welfare gains may be obtained from further improvement of risk sharing institutions.

Suggested Citation

  • Bent E. Sørensen & Oved Yosha, 1996. "Income and Consumption Smoothing among US States: Regions or Clubs?," Discussion Papers 96-13, University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:kud:kuiedp:9613
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    Cited by:

    1. Hess, Gregory D. & Shin, Kwanho, 2000. "Risk sharing by households within and across regions and industries," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(3), pages 533-560, June.
    2. Adriana Arreaza & Bent E. Sgrensen & Oved Yosha, 1999. "Consumption Smoothing through Fiscal Policy in OECD and EU Countries," NBER Chapters, in: Fiscal Institutions and Fiscal Performance, pages 59-80, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Hess, Gregory D. & Shin, Kwanho, 2010. "Understanding the Backus-Smith puzzle: It's the (nominal) exchange rate, stupid," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 169-180, February.
    4. Stefano Athanasoulis & Eric Van Wincoop, 1998. "Risksharing within the United States: what have financial markets and fiscal federalism accomplished?," Research Paper 9808, Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
    5. Sorensen, Bent E. & Yosha, Oved, 1998. "International risk sharing and European monetary unification," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 211-238, August.
    6. Del Negro, Marco, 2002. "Asymmetric shocks among U.S. states," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(2), pages 273-297, March.
    7. Herrmann, Sabine & Jochem, Axel, 2005. "Determinants of current account developments in the central and east European EU member states - consequences for the enlargement of the euro area," Discussion Paper Series 1: Economic Studies 2005,32, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    8. Jochem, Axel & Herrmann, Sabine, 2003. "The international integration of money markets in the central and east European accession countries: deviations from covered interest parity, capital controls and inefficiencies in the financial secto," Discussion Paper Series 1: Economic Studies 2003,07, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    9. Herrmann, Sabine & Jochem, Axel, 2003. "Die internationale Integration der Geldmärkte in den mittel- und osteuropäischen Beitrittsländern: Abweichungen von der gedeckten Zinsparität, Kapitalverkehrskontrollen und Ineffizienzen des Finanzsek," Discussion Paper Series 1: Economic Studies 2003,07, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    10. Jonathan Rodden & Erik Wibbels, 2010. "Fiscal Decentralization And The Business Cycle: An Empirical Study Of Seven Federations," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(1), pages 37-67, March.
    11. Tal Sadeh, 2005. "Who Can Adjust to the Euro?," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(11), pages 1651-1678, November.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    risk sharing; incomplete markets; welfare;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E20 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)
    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration
    • H71 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue

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