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Abstract:
We propose an equilibrium model that can explain a wide range of international finance puzzles, including the high correlation of international stock markets despite the lack of correlation of fundamentals. We conduct an empirical analysis of our model, which combines cross-country-correlated long-run risk with Epstein and Zin (1989) preferences, using US and UK data and show that it successfully reconciles international prices and quantities, thereby solving the international equity premium puzzle. These results provide evidence suggesting a link between common long-run growth perspectives and exchange rate movements.

Exchange rates, international financial markets, long-run risks

Abstract:
We evaluate alternative models of variances and correlations with an economic loss function. We construct portfolios to minimize predicted variance subject to a required return. It is shown that the realized volatility is smallest for the correctly specified covariance matrix for any vector of expected returns. A test of relative performance of two covariance matrices is based on Diebold and Mariano (1995). The method is applied to stocks and bonds and then to highly correlated assets. On average dynamically correct correlations are worth around 60 basis points in annualized terms but on some days they may be worth hundreds.

GARCH, DCC, Forecast Evaluation

Abstract:
The idea of component models for volatility is extended to dynamic correlations. We propose a model of dynamic correlations with a short- and long-run component specification. We call this class of models DCC-MIDAS as the key ingredients are a combination of the Engle (2002) DCC model, the Engle and Lee (1999) component GARCH model to replace the original DCC dynamics with a component specification and the Engle, Ghysels, and Sohn (2006) GARCH-MIDAS component specification that allows us to extract a long-run correlation component via mixed data sampling. We provide a comprehensive econometric analysis of the new class of models, including conditions for positive semi-definiteness, and provide extensive empirical evidence that supports the model specification.

Abstract:
In this paper we document the presence of a term structure of risk and we propose how to measure it using alternative models to forecast volatility and the Value at Risk at different horizons. We then quantify the benefits of an investor that is aware of the existence of a term structure of risk in the context of an asset allocation exercise.

Abstract:
We propose an equilibrium model that can explain a wide range of international finance puzzles, including the high correlation of international stock markets despite the lack of correlation of fundamentals. We conduct an empirical analysis of our model, which combines cross-country-correlated long-run risk with Epstein and Zin (1989) preferences, using US and UK data and show that it successfully reconciles international prices and quantities, thereby solving the international equity premium puzzle. These results provide evidence suggesting a link between common long-run growth perspectives and exchange rate movements. This technical appendix complements the paper 'Risks for the Long Run and the Real Exchange Rate'.

Abstract:
In this paper we document the presence of a term structure of risk and we propose how to measure it using alternative models to forecast volatility and the Value at Risk at different horizons. We then quantify the benefits of an investor that is aware of the existence of a term structure of risk in the context of an asset allocation exercise.

Abstract:
We study how a concern for robustness modifies a policy maker's incentive to experiment. A policy maker has a prior over two submodels of inflation-unemployment dynamics. One submodel implies an exploitable trade-off, the other does not. Bayes' law gives the policy maker an incentive to experiment. The policy maker fears that both submodels and his prior probability distribution over them are misspecified. We compute decision rules that are robust to misspecifications of each submodel and of the prior distribution over sub-models. We compare robust rules to ones that Cogley, Colacito, and Sargent (2007) computed assuming that the models and the prior distribution are correctly specified. We explain how the policy maker's desires to protect against misspecifications of the submodels, on the one hand, and misspecifications of the prior over them, on the other, have different effects on the decision rule.

Learning, model uncertainty, Bayes' law, Phillips curve, experimentation, robustness, pessimism, entropy

Abstract:
Colacito and Croce (2006) study the dynamics of the growth rate of the real exchange rate, when the preferences of the representative consumers in the two countries are defined only over the domestic good and characterized by non-time separability a la Epstein and Zin (1989). This paper shows that an equilibrium of this economy exists in which exchange rates are well defined and it can be interpreted as the limiting case of an economy in which preferences are defined over both domestic and foreign goods.

Abstract:
A policy maker knows two models of inflation-unemployment dynamics. One implies an exploitable trade-off. The other does not. The policy maker's prior probability over the two models is part of his state vector. Bayes law converts the prior into a posterior at each date and gives the policy maker an incentive to experiment. For a model calibrated to U.S. data through the early 1960s, we isolate the component of government policy that is due to experimentation by comparing the outcomes from two Bellman equations, the first of which embodies a `experiment and learn' setup, the second of which embodies a `don't experiment, do learn' view. We interpret the second as an example of an `anticipated utility' model and study how well its outcomes approximate those from the `experiment and learn' Bellman equation.

Abstract:
We propose a frictionless general equilibrium model in which two international consumers with recursive preferences trade two consumption goods and a complete set of date and state contingent securities. Consumption home bias and concern for the temporal distribution of risk generate rich dynamics for international prices and quantities. In our model, exchange rate movements are as volatile as they are in the data. Furthermore, both the volatility of the exchange rate movements and risk-premia are endogenously time varying and history dependent.

Recursive Preferences, time-varying volatility, international finance, exchange rates

Abstract:
Cole and Obstfeld (1991) pointed out that the welfare benefits of international portfolio diversification might be negligible. They obtain this result in the context of a model in which agents have time-additive constant relative risk aversion preferences. We revisit their conclusion by showing that a preference for the timing of the resolution of uncertainty combined with endowments containing a slowly moving trend can result in extremely high welfare gains.