Risk, Unemployment, and the Stock Market: A Rare-Event-Based Explanation of Labor Market Volatility

83 Pages Posted: 22 Dec 2014 Last revised: 12 Aug 2020

See all articles by Mete Kilic

Mete Kilic

University of Southern California - Marshall School of Business

Jessica A. Wachter

University of Pennsylvania - Finance Department; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); Securities and Exchange Commission

Date Written: October 24, 2017

Abstract

What is the driving force behind the cyclical behavior of unemployment and vacancies? What is the relation between job-creation incentives of firms and stock market valuations? We answer these questions in a model with  time-varying risk, modeled as a small and variable probability of an economic disaster. A high probability implies greater risk and lower future growth, lowering the incentives of firms to invest in hiring.  During periods of high risk, stock market valuations are low and  unemployment rises.  The model thus explains volatility in equity and labor markets, and the relation between the two.

 

Suggested Citation

Kilic, Mete and Wachter, Jessica A., Risk, Unemployment, and the Stock Market: A Rare-Event-Based Explanation of Labor Market Volatility (October 24, 2017). The Wharton School Research Paper No. 73, Jacobs Levy Equity Management Center for Quantitative Financial Research Paper, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2541916 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2541916

Mete Kilic

University of Southern California - Marshall School of Business ( email )

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Jessica A. Wachter (Contact Author)

University of Pennsylvania - Finance Department ( email )

The Wharton School
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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

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Securities and Exchange Commission ( email )

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