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Debt overhang in a business cycle model

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  • Occhino, Filippo
  • Pescatori, Andrea

Abstract

We study the macroeconomic implications of the debt overhang distortion on firms׳ investment and labor decisions. We show that the distortion arises when the levels of investment and labor are non-contractible and chosen after the signing of the debt contract. The financial friction manifests itself as investment and labor wedges that move counter-cyclically, increasing during recessions when the risk of default is high. Their dynamics amplify and propagate the effects of shocks to productivity, government spending, volatility, and funding costs. Both the size and the persistence of these effects are quantitatively important.

Suggested Citation

  • Occhino, Filippo & Pescatori, Andrea, 2015. "Debt overhang in a business cycle model," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 58-84.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eecrev:v:73:y:2015:i:c:p:58-84
    DOI: 10.1016/j.euroecorev.2014.11.003
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    Cited by:

    1. Keiichiro Kobayashi & Tomoyuki Nakajima, 2017. "A macroeconomic model of liquidity crises," CIGS Working Paper Series 17-010E, The Canon Institute for Global Studies.
    2. Halling, Michael & Yu, Jin & Zechner, Josef, 2016. "Leverage dynamics over the business cycle," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 122(1), pages 21-41.
    3. Sweder J.G. van Wijnbergen & Egle Jakucionyte, 2017. "Debt Overhang, Exchange Rates and the Macroeconomics of Carry Trade," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 17-005/VI, Tinbergen Institute, revised 15 Jun 2018.
    4. Urban Jermann & Lukas Schmid & Joao Gomes, 2014. "Sticky Leverage," 2014 Meeting Papers 40, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    5. Keiichiro Kobayashi & Tomoyuki Nakajima, 2014. "A macroeconomic model of liquidity crises," CIGS Working Paper Series 14-003E, The Canon Institute for Global Studies.
    6. Occhino Filippo & Pescatori Andrea, 2014. "Leverage, investment, and optimal monetary policy," The B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics, De Gruyter, vol. 14(1), pages 1-21, January.
    7. Jakucionyte, Egle & van Wijnbergen, Sweder, 2018. "Unclogging the Credit Channel: on the Macroeconomics of Banking frictions," CEPR Discussion Papers 12729, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    8. Emilios Avgouleas, 2015. "Bank Leverage Ratios and Financial Stability: A Micro- and Macroprudential Perspective," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_849, Levy Economics Institute.
    9. repec:eee:eecrev:v:100:y:2017:i:c:p:337-363 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Jakucionyte, Egle & van Wijnbergen, Sweder, 2017. "Debt Overhang and the Macroeconomics of Carry Trade," CEPR Discussion Papers 11788, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    11. João Gomes & Urban Jermann & Lukas Schmid, 2016. "Sticky Leverage," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(12), pages 3800-3828, December.
    12. James Bullard & Jacek Suda & Aarti Singh & Costas Azariadis, 2014. "Debt Overhang and Monetary Policy," 2014 Meeting Papers 948, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    13. Occhino, Filippo, 2014. "Debt-Overhang Banking Crises," Working Paper 1425, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
    14. repec:ibn:ijefaa:v:9:y:2017:i:8:p:138-150 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Occhino, Filippo, 2015. "The 2012 Eurozone Crisis and the ECB’s OMT Program: A Debt-Overhang Banking and Sovereign Crisis Interpretation The 2012 Eurozone Crisis and the ECB’s OMT Program: A Debt-Overhang Banking and Sovereig," Working Paper 1509, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
    16. repec:eee:finsta:v:30:y:2017:i:c:p:192-208 is not listed on IDEAS

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Financial frictions; Financial accelerator; Optimal financial contract; Investment wedge; Labor wedge;

    JEL classification:

    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • E44 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Financial Markets and the Macroeconomy

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