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Economic theory and asset bubbles

Author

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  • Gadi Barlevy

Abstract

The author summarizes what economic theory tells us about when asset price bubbles can occur and what the welfare implications are from bursting them. In some cases, bursting a bubble may make society worse off by exacerbating the market distortions that give rise to the bubble in the first place.

Suggested Citation

  • Gadi Barlevy, 2007. "Economic theory and asset bubbles," Economic Perspectives, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, vol. 31(Q III), pages 44-59.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedhep:y:2007:i:qiii:p:44-59:n:v.31no.3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. King, Ian & Ferguson, Don, 1993. "Dynamic inefficiency, endogenous growth, and Ponzi games," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 79-104, August.
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    7. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/8701 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Lei, Vivian & Noussair, Charles N & Plott, Charles R, 2001. "Nonspeculative Bubbles in Experimental Asset Markets: Lack of Common Knowledge of Rationality vs. Actual Irrationality," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 69(4), pages 831-859, July.
    9. Smith, Vernon L & Suchanek, Gerry L & Williams, Arlington W, 1988. "Bubbles, Crashes, and Endogenous Expectations in Experimental Spot Asset Markets," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 56(5), pages 1119-1151, September.
    10. Timothy Cogley, 1999. "Should the Fed take deliberate steps to deflate asset price bubbles?," Economic Review, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, pages 42-52.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Siddhartha Biswas & Andrew Hanson & Toan Phan, 2020. "Bubbly Recessions," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 12(4), pages 33-70, October.
    2. Andrei Afilipoaei & Gustavo Carrero, 2023. "A Mathematical Model of Financial Bubbles: A Behavioral Approach," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-17, September.
    3. Ricardo Lagos & Shengxing Zhang, 2019. "A Monetary Model of Bilateral Over-the-Counter Markets," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 33, pages 205-227, July.
    4. Charalambos Pitros, 2014. "UK housing bubble case study analysis: The ‘‘behaviour’’ of UK housing bubbles and the ‘‘affordability’’ parameter," ERES eres2014_4, European Real Estate Society (ERES).
    5. Bachar Fakhry & Christian Richter, 2018. "Does the Federal Constitutional Court Ruling Mean the German Financial Market is Efficient?," European Journal of Business Science and Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Faculty of Business and Economics, vol. 4(2), pages 111-125.
    6. Michael Heinrich Baumann & Anja Janischewski, 2025. "What are Asset Price Bubbles? A Survey on Definitions of Financial Bubbles," Papers 2502.10101, arXiv.org.
    7. Petr Makovský, 2016. "The relationship between the real economy and financial sector regarding technological bubbles," Ekonomika a Management, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2016(3).
    8. Andrea Ajello & Nina Boyarchenko & François Gourio & Andrea Tambalotti, 2022. "Financial Stability Considerations for Monetary Policy: Theoretical Mechanisms," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2022-005, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    9. Anna Scherbina & Bernd Schlusche, 2012. "Asset Bubbles: an Application to Residential Real Estate," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 18(3), pages 464-491, June.
    10. Hansjörg HERR & Sina RÜDIGER & Jennifer Pédussel WU, 2016. "The Federal Reserve as Lender of Last Resort During the Subprime Crisis – Successful Stabilisation Without Structural Changes," Journal of Economics and Political Economy, KSP Journals, vol. 3(2), pages 192-210, June.
    11. Hansj rg HERR & Sina R DIGER & Jennifer P dussel WU, 2016. "The Federal Reserve as Lender of Last Resort During the Subprime Crisis Successful Stabilisation Without Structural Changes," Journal of Economics and Political Economy, EconSciences Journals, vol. 3(2), pages 192-210, June.
    12. Ron Bird & Gordon Menzies & Peter Dixon & Maureen Rimmer, 2010. "Asset Price Regulators Unite: You Have Macroeconomic Stability to Win and the Microeconomic Losses are Second-order," Working Paper Series 5, The Paul Woolley Centre for Capital Market Dysfunctionality, University of Technology, Sydney.
    13. Michaelides, Panayotis G. & Tsionas, Efthymios & Konstantakis, Konstantinos, 2016. "Financial Bubble Detection : A Non-Linear Method with Application to S&P 500," MPRA Paper 74477, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Douglas R. Emery, 2022. "Negative bubbles and the market for “dreams”: “Lemons” in the looking glass," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 45(1), pages 5-16, March.
    15. Baumann, Michael Heinrich & Janischewski, Anja, 2025. "What are asset price bubbles? A survey on definitions of financial bubbles," MPRA Paper 123676, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Bird, R. & Menzies, G. & Dixon, P. & Rimmer, M., 2011. "The economic costs of US stock mispricing," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 552-567, July.
    17. Coskun Yener & Jadevicius Arvydas, 2017. "Is there a Housing Bubble in Turkey?," Real Estate Management and Valuation, Sciendo, vol. 25(1), pages 48-73, March.
    18. Michaelides, Panayotis G. & Tsionas, Efthymios G. & Konstantakis, Konstantinos N., 2016. "Non-linearities in financial bubbles: Theory and Bayesian evidence from S&P500," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 61-70.
    19. Kevin J. Lansing, 2008. "Speculative growth and overreaction to technology shocks," Working Paper Series 2008-08, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
    20. Rüdiger, Sina, 2013. "The Federal Reserve in times of economic crisis: Paths and choices since 2007," IPE Working Papers 25/2013, Berlin School of Economics and Law, Institute for International Political Economy (IPE).

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