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The Ergodic Behavior of Stochastic Processes of Economic Equilibria

Econometrica 1979 47(6), 1421
[This paper studies the existence, uniqueness, and stability of equilibrium for a class of random dynamical systems that arise frequently in the study of Markovtemporary equilibrium models and in models arising from maximization behavior over time. It is seen that equilibria in these models have very nice properties.]

Learning and Statistical Discrimination

American Economic Review 2005 95(2), 118-121
SFI Working Papers contain accounts of scientific work of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the Santa Fe Institute. We accept papers intended for publication in peer-reviewed journals or proceedings volumes, but not papers that have already appeared in print. Except for papers by our external faculty, papers must be based on work done at SFI, inspired by an invited visit to or collaboration at SFI, or funded by an SFI grant. ©NOTICE: This working paper is included by permission of the contributing author(s) as a means to ensure timely distribution of the scholarly and technical work on a non-commercial basis. Copyright and all rights therein are maintained by the author(s). It is understood that all persons copying this information will adhere to the terms and constraints invoked by each author's copyright. These works may be reposted only with the explicit permission of the copyright holder. www.santafe.edu SANTA FE INSTITUTE

Market Statistics and Technical Analysis: The Role of Volume.

Journal of Finance 1994 49(1), 153-81
The authors investigate the informational role of volume and its applicability for technical analysis. They develop a new equilibrium model in which aggregate supply is fixed and traders receive signals with differing quality. The authors show that volume provides information on information quality that cannot be deduced from the price statistic. They show how volume, information precision, and price movements relate, and demonstrate how sequences of volume and prices can be informative. The authors also show that traders who use information contained in market statistics do better than traders who do not. Technical analysis, thus, arises as a natural component of the agents' learning process.

If You're so Smart, why Aren't You Rich? Belief Selection in Complete and Incomplete Markets

Econometrica 2006 74(4), 929-966 open access
This paper provides an analysis of the asymptotic properties of consumption allocations in a stochastic general equilibrium model with heterogeneous consumers. In particular we investigate the market selection hypothesis, that markets favor traders with more accurate beliefs. We show that in any Pareto optimal allocation whether each consumer vanishes or survives is determined entirely by discount factors and beliefs. Since equilibrium allocations in economies with complete markets are Pareto optimal, our results characterize the limit behavior of these economies. We show that, all else equal, the market selects for consumers who use Bayesian learning with the truth in the support of their prior and selects among Bayesians according to the size of the their parameter space. Finally, we show that in economies with incomplete markets these conclusions may not hold. Payoff functions can matter for long run survival, and the market selection hypothesis fails.

The Algebraic Geometry of Perfect and Sequential Equilibrium

Econometrica 1994 62(4), 783
Two of the most important refinements of the Nash equilibrium concept for extensive form games are (trembling hand) perfect equilibrium and sequential equilibrium. It is shown here that, for almost all assignments of payoffs to outcomes, the sets of sequential and perfect equilibrium strategy profiles are identical. This result is obtained by exploiting the semialgebraic nature of equilibrium correspondences, following from a deep theorem of mathematical logic. Copyright 1994 by The Econometric Society.

Lexicographic Probabilities and Choice Under Uncertainty

Econometrica 1991 59(1), 61
Conventional Bayesian theory of choice under uncertainty, subjective expected utility theory, fails to satisfy the properties of admissibility and existence of well-defined conditional probabilities; weakly dominated acts may be chosen, and the usual definition of conditional probabilities applies only to nonnull events. This paper develops a non-Archimedean variant of subjective expected utility where decisionmakers have lexicographic beliefs. This generalization can be made to satisfy admissibility and yield well-defined conditional probabilities and at the same time allow for "null" events. Copyright 1991 by The Econometric Society.

Lexicographic Probabilities and Equilibrium Refinements

Econometrica 1991 59(1), 81
This paper develops a decision-theoretic approach to normal-form refinements of Nash equilibrium and provides characterizations of (normal-form) perfect equilibrium and proper equilibrium. The approach relies on a theory of single-person decision-making that is a non-Archimedean version of subjective expected utility theory. Copyright 1991 by The Econometric Society.

The Taking of Land: When Should Compensation be Paid?

Quarterly Journal of Economics 1984 99(1), 71
The analysis focuses on the question of whether the payment of compensation for land taken by eminent domain is efficient. When the taking decision is independent of land use, zero compensation is efficient, but full compensation is not. When the project decision is no longer independent of land use, and can be affected by investor decisions, neither compensation rule is generally efficient because of the moral hazard problem. With risk-averse consumers and risk-neutral firms, the previous conclusions remain essentially unchanged. However, when the project decision rule involves a budgetary “fiscal illusion,” additional compensation may be necessary to correct the incentives facing the project decision-maker.

Market Statistics and Technical Analysis: The Role of Volume

Journal of Finance 1994 49(1), 153-181
ABSTRACT We investigate the informational role of volume and its applicability for technical analysis. We develop a new equilibrium model in which aggregate supply is fixed and traders receive signals with differing quality. We show that volume provides information on information quality that cannot be deduced from the price statistic. We show how volume, information precision, and price movements relate, and demonstrate how sequences of volume and prices can be informative. We also show that traders who use information contained in market statistics do better than traders who do not. Technical analysis thus arises as a natural component of the agents' learning process.