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Country credit risk determinants with model uncertainty

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  • Maltritz, Dominik
  • Molchanov, Alexander

Abstract

We analyze the economic and political determinants of country credit risk in both developed and emerging economies by using sovereign yield spreads as risk indicators. We document a high degree of model uncertainty and apply Bayesian Model Averaging to deal with this issue. GDP growth and external debt to GDP ratio are highly likely to influence default risk in emerging and developed economies. Inflation, import growth, openness, and trade freedom are additionally relevant in developed economies, whereas developing countries' default risk is also influenced by debt service ratio, history of recent defaults, and the ratio of foreign exchange reserves to imports.

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  • Maltritz, Dominik & Molchanov, Alexander, 2014. "Country credit risk determinants with model uncertainty," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 224-234.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:reveco:v:29:y:2014:i:c:p:224-234
    DOI: 10.1016/j.iref.2013.05.018
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    3. Gomez-Gonzalez, Jose E. & Uribe, Jorge M. & Valencia, Oscar, 2024. "Sovereign Risk and Economic Complexity," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 13393, Inter-American Development Bank.
    4. Teixeira, João C.A. & Silva, Francisco J.F. & Ferreira, Manuel B.S. & Vieira, José A.C., 2018. "Sovereign credit rating determinants under financial crises," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 1-13.
    5. Ballester, Laura & González-Urteaga, Ana & Martínez, Beatriz, 2020. "The role of internal corporate governance mechanisms on default risk: A systematic review for different institutional settings," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    6. Metodij Hadzi-Vaskov & Mr. Luca A Ricci, 2019. "The Nonlinear Relationship Between Public Debt and Sovereign Credit Ratings," IMF Working Papers 2019/162, International Monetary Fund.
    7. Blau, Benjamin M. & Roseman, Brian S., 2014. "The reaction of European credit default swap spreads to the U.S. credit rating downgrade," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 131-141.
    8. Jose E. Gomez-Gonzalez & Jorge M. Uribe & Oscar M. Valencia, 2024. "Asymmetric Sovereign Risk: Implications for Climate Change Preparation," IREA Working Papers 202401, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Jan 2024.
    9. Christian Senga & Danny Cassimon & Dennis Essers, 2018. "Sub-Saharan African Eurobond yields: What really matters beyond global factors?," Review of Development Finance Journal, Chartered Institute of Development Finance, vol. 8(1), pages 49-62.
    10. Suh, Sangwon, 2015. "Measuring sovereign risk contagion in the Eurozone," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 45-65.
    11. Jorge M. Uribe, 2023. ""Fiscal crises and climate change"," IREA Working Papers 202303, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Feb 2023.
    12. Lu, Yang-Cheng & Wei, Yu-Chen & Chang, Tsang-Yao, 2015. "The effects and applicability of financial media reports on corporate default ratings," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 69-87.
    13. Mita Bhattacharya & John Inekwe, 2021. "Convergence in Sovereign Debt Defaults: Quantifying the Roles of Institutions," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 83(3), pages 792-811, June.
    14. Gilles Dufrénot & Anne-Charlotte Paret, 2018. "Sovereign debt in emerging market countries: not all of them are serial defaulters," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(59), pages 6406-6443, December.
    15. Erdem, Orhan & Varli, Yusuf, 2014. "Understanding the sovereign credit ratings of emerging markets," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 20(C), pages 42-57.
    16. Jose E. Gomez-Gonzalez & Jorge M. Uribe & Oscar M. Valencia, 2023. "Sovereign Risk and Economic Complexity: Machine Learning Insights on Causality and Prediction," IREA Working Papers 202315, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Nov 2023.
    17. Karol Szafranek & Marek Kwas & Grzegorz Szafrański & Zuzanna Wośko, 2020. "Common Determinants of Credit Default Swap Premia in the North American Oil and Gas Industry. A Panel BMA Approach," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-23, November.
    18. Kocsis, Zalan & Monostori, Zoltan, 2016. "The role of country-specific fundamentals in sovereign CDS spreads: Eastern European experiences," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 140-168.
    19. Chakrabarti, Avik & Zeaiter, Hussein, 2014. "The determinants of sovereign default: A sensitivity analysis," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 300-318.
    20. Moreno Badia, Marialuz & Medas, Paulo & Gupta, Pranav & Xiang, Yuan, 2022. "Debt is not free," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bayesian Model Averaging; Default risk;

    JEL classification:

    • F34 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Lending and Debt Problems
    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G15 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - International Financial Markets

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