Knowledge that Transforms

We propose a novel framework for modeling large dynamic covariance matrices via heterogeneous autoregressive volatility and correlation components. Our model provides direct forecasts of monthly covariance matrices and is flexible, parsimonious and simple to estimate using standard least squares methods. We address the problem of parameter estimation risks by employing nonlinear shrinkage methods, making our framework applicable in high dimensions. We perform a comprehensive empirical out-of-sample analysis and find significant statistical and economic improvements over common benchmark models. For minimum variance portfolios with over a thousand stocks, the annualized portfolio standard deviation improves to 8.92% compared to 9.75–10.43% for DCC-type models.

High-income individuals direct a higher share of their savings toward the stock market and a lower share toward credit markets and bank deposits. An increase in income inequality thus translates into an expected decrease in the relative supply of debt capital. Nonfinancial corporations are predicted to cater to these shifts by adjusting their capital structure. Results from instrumental variable models estimated on a panel sample of either US or non-US corporations and several robustness checks empirically support this prediction. Consistent with the theorized household portfolio channel, the negative relation between leverage and local income inequality is driven by corporations less likely to have access to non-local capital markets. This result is confirmed when exploiting the introduction of the euro as an exogenous shock to European firms’ relative exposure to non-domestic investors.

We examine the liquidity provision premium in cryptocurrency markets using the returns from the short reversal strategy. We show that returns from liquidity provision can be predicted using the volatility index, realized variance, risk aversion, crash risk, tail risk, and innovations of Tether liquidity. We also find that<br/>an increase in the liquidity provision premium is associated with a decline in liquidity, trading volume, and transaction count, as well as more withdrawals, higher fees, and greater impermanent loss on Uniswap.<br/>This suggests potential competition between centralized and decentralized exchanges. Further, the liquidity provision premium of stock markets in China and Japan positively predicts the premium of cryptocurrency markets (effect of a common shock), meanwhile that of stock markets in the US and Canada negatively predicts the premium of cryptocurrency markets (substitution effect).

Using a survey in the Netherlands, we find that high inflation perceptions are associated with low trust in Dutch politics and the Dutch central bank, also if we control for a broad array of potential confounding factors. The higher individuals’ perceived inflation is and the harder it is for them to make ends meet, the lower their trust in Dutch politics, the Dutch central bank, and the European Central Bank. We also find that trust in an authority is lower when it is considered responsible for bringing inflation down. Quite remarkably, most people think the government is responsible for maintaining price stability.

We explore information spillovers and cross-monitoring between the stock and loan markets, focusing on the roles of short sellers and banks. Using Regulation SHO that directly affects short-selling constraints in the stock market but is exogenous to the loan market, we find that only those firms without bank monitors exhibit significant stock price declines upon the announcement of SHO. We also document that while short interest increases following SHO, it increases far less for firms with bank monitors. Using bank and lending relationship characteristics, we find SHO returns increase in the bank's ability and incentive to monitor. Our exploration of equity ownership structure reveals that the presence of block holders and dedicated owners has little to no effect on our results, suggesting that bank monitors complement shareholder monitoring efforts.

This paper examines the drivers of housing market volatility through dynamic search-and-matching models that incorporate auctions. Two versions of the model are developed: one in which buyers visit homes randomly and another where search is directed by seller reserve prices. The analysis demonstrates that granular shocks and microstructure frictions—arising from the interaction of idiosyncratic and infrequent transactions, search frictions, and auctions-based pricing—generate persistent volatility, even in large markets such as Los Angeles. The paper also identifies systematic weekly patterns in housing activity, which account for up to 60% of monthly variation in sales and listings due to calendar composition. Recognizing and filtering out these predictable fluctuations ensures that the model targets economically meaningful sources of volatility. Together, granular shocks, microstructure frictions, and weekly patterns explain 70%–80% of sales and listings volatility, with the remainder driven by exogenous shocks. These findings underscore the importance of auctions, granular shocks, microstructure frictions, and weekly patterns in understanding housing market dynamics.

Beggar-thy-neighbour in macroprudential policy? This paper studies the impact of macroprudential policies – specifically OSII buffers – on banking groups and their cross-border operations. Using granular data from three confidential databases, we present the first evidence on how banking groups respond to changes in capital requirements. Our findings reveal that: (i) consolidated parent banks constrained by OSII buffers cut back on debt and equity holdings in their foreign subsidiaries, altering global financial structures; (ii) subsidiaries with reduced funding and equity from their parent show a notable decline in lending to non-financial corporations; and (iii) overall, cross-border subsidiaries of OSII-constrained banks exhibit reduced lending and risk-taking towards non-financial corporations, hinting at a role of these subsidiaries in propping up the group’s consolidated capital buffers. While higher capital buffers enhance financial stability by curbing excessive risk-taking, they also constrain the funding and lending capacities of foreign subsidiaries, disrupting local credit markets and creating a “beggar-thy-neighbour” problem. Policymakers need to balance these impacts with the benefits of financial integration.

This study investigates the relationships between currency portfolios and market conditions. We incorporate information on cross-sectional foreign exchange (FX) volatility and ambiguity to determine FX market regimes. Unlike previous studies, we find that high FX volatility leads to higher currency carry returns only when FX ambiguity is high, suggesting that investors avoid making trading decisions during these periods. As a result, the unwinding of currency carry trades, which is usually associated with high FX volatility and declining in carry trade returns, does not occur. We also observe that this pattern does not emerge in other currency portfolios.

The market for passive ETFs and passive ETF benchmarks has exploded. Passive ETF sponsors get index benchmarks mainly from brand name index providers such as S&P and Russell. We show how benchmark and index provider characteristics are relevant for sponsors and different investor types. ETF benchmarks from large index providers attract more capital. Institutional flows exhibit a strong preference for brand name benchmarks, but do-it-yourself retail investor flows do not. ETFs that change benchmarks reduce their tracking error and have 7% higher flows in the subsequent three months, again driven by institutional flows.

Firms with similar credit ratings, particularly high-yield ones, exhibit strong comovement in stock returns . After a firm is downgraded to high-yield status, it comoves more with other high-yield firms and less with investment-grade ones, a pattern not fully explained by changes in fundamentals or other firm characteristics. We find evidence that suggests the investor clientele explanation for rating-related comovement, potentially arising from heterogeneous lottery preferences. High-yield-averse funds reduce their holdings of firms being downgraded to high-yield status, particularly those that are more lottery-like, much more significantly than high-yield-prone funds. Furthermore, a firm’s stock returns become sensitive to flows into high-yield-prone funds after being downgraded to high-yield status, consistent with the price impact of rating-based category investing.