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Crossing boundaries beyond the investment grade: Induced trading by rating-contingent investment constraints

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  • Abad, Pilar
  • Díaz, Antonio
  • Escribano, Ana
  • Robles, M.-Dolores

Abstract

Institutional portfolio managers face rating-based constraints established by investment policy statements (IPS) in their delegated management which, similar to formal regulations, restrict investment in bonds below certain rating levels. We analyze how prices and liquidity of corporate bonds traded by institutional investors react to downgrades crossing these internal limits. Consistent with the existence of a non-regulatory transmission channel, downgrades through regular IPS ratings have a greater impact on the market than downgrades crossing regulatory boundaries, such as the investment-speculative frontier and the NAIC's risk-based capital system thresholds. Our results reveal the existence of other source of rating-related frictions that should be considered.

Suggested Citation

  • Abad, Pilar & Díaz, Antonio & Escribano, Ana & Robles, M.-Dolores, 2021. "Crossing boundaries beyond the investment grade: Induced trading by rating-contingent investment constraints," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:corfin:v:67:y:2021:i:c:s0929119921000249
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2021.101903
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Rating changes; Investment policy statements; Corporate bonds; Rating-contingent investment constraints;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • C34 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Truncated and Censored Models; Switching Regression Models

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