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The role of labor-income risk in household risk-taking?

Author

Listed:
  • Hubar, Sylwia
  • Koulovatianos, Christos
  • Li, Jian

Abstract

In fifteen European countries, China, and the US, stocks and business equity as a share of total household assets are represented by an increasing and convex function of income/wealth. A parsimonious model fitted to the data shows why background labor-income risk can explain much of this risk-taking pattern. Uncontrollable labor-income risk stresses middle-income households more because labor income is a larger fraction of their total lifetime resources compared with the rich. In response, middle-income households reduce (controllable) financial risk. Richer households, having less pressure, can afford more risk-taking. The poor take low risk because they avoid jeopardizing their subsistence consumption.

Suggested Citation

  • Hubar, Sylwia & Koulovatianos, Christos & Li, Jian, 2020. "The role of labor-income risk in household risk-taking?," CFS Working Paper Series 640, Center for Financial Studies (CFS).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:cfswop:640
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    Cited by:

    1. Li, Lixu & Ye, Fei & Zhan, Yuanzhu & Kumar, Ajay & Schiavone, Francesco & Li, Yina, 2022. "Unraveling the performance puzzle of digitalization: Evidence from manufacturing firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 54-64.
    2. Andriesse, Edo & Dinh, Thu L.T. & Kittitornkool, Jawanit & Kodir, Abdul & Kongkaew, Chaturong & Markphol, Adirake & Pham, Quynh T.N. & Sumadio, Widyawati, 2025. "Immiserizing growth and the middle-income trap in rural South East Asia: Comparing exclusion and coping mechanisms among farming and fishing communities," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    3. Christos Koulovatianos & Carsten Schröder, 2023. "Income-dependent equivalence scales and choice theory: implications for poverty measurement," Chapters, in: Jacques Silber (ed.), Research Handbook on Measuring Poverty and Deprivation, chapter 4, pages 39-49, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    4. Cai, Xiqian & Cheng, Zhengquan & Li, Dongxu, 2024. "Balancing against geopolitical risk: Household investment portfolios during the U.S.-China trade war," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    5. Delis, Manthos D. & Dioikitopoulos, Evangelos V. & Ongena, Steven, 2023. "Population diversity and financial risk-taking," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    6. Beeler, Lisa & Zablah, Alex R. & Rapp, Adam, 2022. "Ability is in the eye of the beholder: How context and individual factors shape consumer perceptions of digital assistant ability," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 33-46.
    7. Li, Jian & Koulovatianos, Christos, 2020. "The long shadows of war in China: Battle shocks in early life and health/wealth accumulation," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • D11 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Theory
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth

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