Watering a lemon tree: Heterogeneous risk taking and monetary policy transmission

B-Tier
Journal: Journal of Financial Intermediation
Year: 2021
Volume: 47
Issue: C

Authors (3)

Choi, Dong Beom (not in RePEc) Eisenbach, Thomas M. (Federal Reserve Bank of New Yo...) Yorulmazer, Tanju (not in RePEc)

Score contribution per author:

0.670 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

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

Abstract

We build a general equilibrium model with financial frictions that impede monetary policy transmission. Agents with heterogeneous productivity can increase investment by levering up, which increases liquidity risk due to maturity transformation. In equilibrium, more productive agents choose higher leverage than less productive agents, which exposes the more productive agents to greater liquidity risk and makes their investment less responsive to interest rate changes. When monetary policy reduces interest rates, aggregate investment quality deteriorates, which blunts the monetary stimulus and decreases asset liquidation values. This, in turn, reduces loan demand, decreasing the interest rate further and generating a negative spiral. Overall, the allocation of credit is distorted and monetary stimulus can become ineffective even with significant interest rate drops.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:jfinin:v:47:y:2021:i:c:s1042957320300279
Journal Field
Finance
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-25