The International Diversification Puzzle Is Not as Bad as You Think

S-Tier
Journal: Journal of Political Economy
Year: 2013
Volume: 121
Issue: 6
Pages: 1108 - 1159

Score contribution per author:

4.022 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

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

Abstract

The international diversification puzzle is the fact that country portfolios are on average biased toward domestic assets, while one-good international macro models with nondiversifiable labor income risk predict the opposite pattern of diversification. This paper embeds a portfolio choice decision in a two-good international business cycle model and provides a closed-form solution for equilibrium country portfolios. Equilibrium portfolios are biased toward domestic assets because endogenous international relative price fluctuations make domestic assets a good hedge against labor income risk. Evidence from developed economies in recent years is qualitatively and quantitatively consistent with the mechanisms highlighted by the theory.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:ucp:jpolec:doi:10.1086/674143
Journal Field
General
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-25