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Self-Fulfilling Debt Dilution: Maturity and Multiplicity in Debt Models

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  • Mark Aguiar
  • Manuel Amador

Abstract

We establish that creditor beliefs regarding future borrowing can be self-fulfilling, leading to multiple equilibria with markedly different debt accumulation patterns. We characterize such indeterminacy in the Eaton-Gersovitz sovereign debt model augmented with long maturity bonds. Two necessary conditions for the multiplicity are (i) the government is more impatient than foreign creditors, and (ii) there are deadweight losses from default. The multiplicity is dynamic and stems from the self-fulfilling beliefs of how future creditors will price bonds; long maturity bonds are therefore a crucial component of the multiplicity. We introduce a third party with deep pockets to discuss the policy implications of this source of multiplicity and identify the potentially perverse consequences of traditional "lender of last resort" policies.

Suggested Citation

  • Mark Aguiar & Manuel Amador, 2020. "Self-Fulfilling Debt Dilution: Maturity and Multiplicity in Debt Models," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 110(9), pages 2783-2818, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:110:y:2020:i:9:p:2783-2818
    DOI: 10.1257/aer.20180831
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    Cited by:

    1. Marcos Chamon & Francisco Roldán, 2025. "Sovereign Debt Tolerance with Potentially Permanent Costs of Default," IMF Economic Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Monetary Fund, vol. 73(1), pages 118-149, March.
    2. Giancarlo Corsetti & Fred Seunghyun Maeng, 2024. "Debt Crises, Fast and Slow," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 22(5), pages 2148-2179.
    3. Galli, Carlo, 2021. "Self-fulfilling debt crises, fiscal policy and investment," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    4. Joao Ayres & Gaston Navarro & Juan Pablo Nicolini & Pedro Teles, 2019. "Self-Fulfilling Debt Crises with Long Stagnations," Working Papers 757, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
    5. Arce, Fernando, 2021. "Private Overborrowing under Sovereign Risk," MPRA Paper 113176, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Andrea Gamba & Alessio Saretto, 2023. "Debt Maturity and Commitment on Firm Policies," Working Papers 2303, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, revised 06 Aug 2025.
    7. Giancarlo Corsetti, 2023. "Debt crises, fast and slow Giancarlo," RSCAS Working Papers 2023/15, European University Institute.
    8. Vincenzo Cuciniello & Claudio Michelacci & Luigi Paciello, 2025. "Subsidizing Business Entry in Competitive Credit Markets," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 133(11), pages 3652-3711.
    9. Joachim Jungherr & Matthias Meier & Timo Reinelt & Immo Schott, 2022. "Corporate Debt Maturity Matters For Monetary Policy," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2022_360, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
    10. Aubhik Khan & Soyoung Lee, 2023. "Persistent Debt and Business Cycles in an Economy with Production Heterogeneity," Staff Working Papers 23-17, Bank of Canada.
    11. Matias Moretti & Lorenzo Pandolfi & Sergio L. Schmukler & Germán Villegas Bauer & Tomás Williams, 2024. "Inelastic Demand Meets Optimal Supply of Risky Sovereign Bonds," CSEF Working Papers 713, Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF), University of Naples, Italy, revised 13 Oct 2025.
    12. Liu, Yan & Marimon, Ramon & Wicht, Adrien, 2023. "Making sovereign debt safe with a financial stability fund," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    13. Giovanni Callegari & Ramon Marimon & Adrien Wicht & Luca Zavalloni, 2023. "On a Lender of Last Resort with a Central Bank and a Stability Fund," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 50, pages 106-130, October.
    14. Li, Yuan & Yang, Jinqiang & Zhao, Siqi, 2022. "Present-biased government and sovereign debt dynamics," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    15. Bloise, Gaetano & Vailakis, Yiannis, 2024. "Sovereign debt crises and low interest rates," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    16. Zachary Stangebye, 2023. "Long-Term Sovereign Debt: A Steady State Analysis," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 48, pages 107-131, April.
    17. Aguiar, Mark & Amador, Manuel, 2019. "A contraction for sovereign debt models," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 842-875.
    18. Manuel Amador & Javier Bianchi, 2024. "Bank Runs, Fragility, and Credit Easing," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 114(7), pages 2073-2110, July.
    19. Flavia Corneli, 2024. "Sovereign debt maturity structure and its costs," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 31(1), pages 262-297, February.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E44 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Financial Markets and the Macroeconomy
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • F34 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Lending and Debt Problems
    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • H63 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Debt; Debt Management; Sovereign Debt

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