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Financial sector inefficiencies and the debt Laffer curve

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  • Pierre-Richard Agénor

    (School of Economic Studies and Centre for Growth and Business Cycle Research, University of Manchester, UK)

  • Joshua Aizenman

    (Department of Economics, University of California, USA, and National Bureau of Economic Research, USA)

Abstract

This paper analyses the implications of inefficient financial intermediation for debt management in a model where firms rely on bank credit to finance their working capital needs and lenders face state verification and contract enforcement costs. We show that lower expected productivity, higher enforcement and verification costs, or higher volatility of productivity shocks, may shift a country to the wrong side of its debt Laffer curve, with potentially sizable output and welfare losses. We also show that debt relief may bring few welfare benefits unless it is accompanied by reforms aimed at reducing financial sector inefficiencies. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Suggested Citation

  • Pierre-Richard Agénor & Joshua Aizenman, 2005. "Financial sector inefficiencies and the debt Laffer curve," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 10(1), pages 1-13.
    • Handle: RePEc:ijf:ijfiec:v:10:y:2005:i:1:p:1-13
    DOI: 10.1002/ijfe.251
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Pierre-Richard Agénor & Joshua Aizenman, 1998. "Contagion and Volatility with Imperfect Credit Markets," IMF Staff Papers, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 45(2), pages 207-235, June.
    2. Joshua Aizenman & Nancy P. Marion, 1999. "Uncertainty and the disappearance of international credit," Proceedings, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, issue Sep.
    3. Helpman, Elhanan, 1989. "The Simple Analytics of Debt-Equity Swaps," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 79(3), pages 440-451, June.
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    5. P.R. Agenor & J. Aizenman & A. Hoffmaister, 1998. "Contagion, Bank Lending Spreads and Output Fluctuations," NBER Working Papers 6850, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Jonathan Eaton & Mark Gersovitz & Joseph E. Stiglitz, 1991. "The Pure Theory of Country Risk," NBER Chapters, in: International Volatility and Economic Growth: The First Ten Years of The International Seminar on Macroeconomics, pages 391-435, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Townsend, Robert M., 1979. "Optimal contracts and competitive markets with costly state verification," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 265-293, October.
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    Cited by:

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • L14 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Transactional Relationships; Contracts and Reputation

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