Re-use of collateral: Leverage, volatility, and welfare

B-Tier
Journal: Review of Economic Dynamics
Year: 2023
Volume: 47
Pages: 19-46

Authors (4)

Score contribution per author:

0.503 = (α=2.01 / 4 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We assess the implications of collateral re-use on leverage, volatility, and welfare within a calibrated infinite-horizon asset-pricing model with heterogeneous agents and disaster shocks. In our model, the ability of agents to reuse frees up collateral that can be used to back more transactions. Re-use thus contributes to the buildup of leverage and significantly increases volatility in financial markets. When introducing limits on re-use, we find that volatility is strictly decreasing as these limits become tighter, yet the impact on welfare is non-monotone. In the model, allowing for some re-use can improve welfare as it enables agents to share risk more effectively. Allowing re-use beyond intermediate levels, however, can lead to excessive leverage and lower welfare. So the analysis in this paper provides a rationale for limiting, yet not banning, re-use in financial markets. (Copyright: Elsevier)

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:red:issued:20-480
Journal Field
Macro
Author Count
4
Added to Database
2026-01-25