In this paper, we show that incomplete markets lead to trade imbalances. We use a two-period general equilibrium model with countries composed of heterogeneous households. We look at a world where, when markets are complete, countries engage in balanced trade and we show that when some of those markets are absent, trade imbalances emerge. Market incompleteness across countries causes trade imbalances because national income in some countries is more sensitive to risky asset payoffs than in others. Market incompleteness within countries causes trade imbalances because superior risk-sharing in one country leads to a lower precautionary demand for saving.
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Paper provided by Federal Reserve Bank of Boston in its series Working Papers with number
04-8.
References listed on IDEAS Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
Baxter, Marianne & Crucini, Mario J, 1995.
"Business Cycles and the Asset Structure of Foreign Trade,"
International Economic Review,
Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 36(4), pages 821-54, November.
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Svensson, Lars E O, 1988.
"Trade in Risky Assets,"
American Economic Review,
American Economic Association, vol. 78(3), pages 375-94, June.
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