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International portfolio choice, liquidity constraints and the home equity bias puzzle

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  • Michaelides, Alexander

Abstract

This paper solves for optimal international portfolio choice in the presence of liquidity constraints and undiversifiable labor income risk. Optimal portfolios are internationally diversified while positive correlation between domestic stock market returns and permanent labor income shocks can generate a complete portfolio specialization in foreign stocks. Nevertheless, either small costs associated with investing abroad or a slightly positive domestic to foreign equity premium differential are sufficient to either deter households from participating in a foreign market or generate a substantial bias for home equities. The benefits of international diversification are limited because consumption fluctuations can be smoothed with a small amount of buffer stock saving, while exchange rate risk makes foreign investments less appealing to risk averse investors.

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Article provided by Elsevier in its journal Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control.

Volume (Year): 28 (2003)
Issue (Month): 3 (December)
Pages: 555-594

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Handle: RePEc:eee:dyncon:v:28:y:2003:i:3:p:555-594
Contact details of provider: Web page: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jedc

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
  • E20 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)
  • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions

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