Heterogeneous-Agent Asset Pricing

Abstract

This paper studies the importance of idiosyncratic endowment shocks for aggregate asset prices in continuous time. My generalized framework accommodates jumps and heterogeneous recursive preferences. I show that countercyclical cross-sectional risk is irrelevant to risk premia if and only if all agents have identical, time-additive power utility and cross-sectional risk is uncorrelated with aggregate consumption risk. It always affects the riskfree rate and equity volatility. I calibrate a general-equilibrium model in which numerous agents face uninsurable idiosyncratic human-capital disasters. Using Social Security Administration income data, I show that time-varying cross-sectional income skewness is an important driver of asset price dynamics.

Keywords: Asset pricing, Incomplete markets, Heterogeneous agents, Human capital

JEL Classification: E21, E24, E32, E44, G11, G12, J24