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The International Diversification Puzzle is Not as Bad as You Think

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Author Info
Heathcote, Jonathan
Perri, Fabrizio

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Abstract

In simple one-good international macro models, the presence of non-diversifiable labor income risk means that country portfolios should be heavily biased toward foreign assets. The fact that the opposite pattern of diversification is observed empirically constitutes the international diversification puzzle. We embed a portfolio choice decision in a frictionless two-country, two-good version of the stochastic growth model. In this environment, which is a workhorse for international business cycle research, we fully characterize equilibrium country portfolios. These are biased towards domestic assets, as in the data. Home bias arises because endogenous international relative price fluctuations make domestic assets a good hedge against non-diversifiable labor income risk. We then use our theory to link openness to trade to the level of diversification, and find that it offers a quantitatively compelling account for the patterns of international diversification observed across developed economies in recent years.

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Paper provided by C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers in its series CEPR Discussion Papers with number 6982.

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Date of creation: Oct 2008
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Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:6982

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Related research
Keywords: Country portfolios; Home bias; International business cycles;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
F36 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - Financial Aspects of Economic Integration
F41 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Open Economy Macroeconomics

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