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Journal of Financial Intermediation Vol. 6 No. 1 1997

Thin Markets, Asymmetric Information, and Mortgage-Backed Securities

Edward L. Glaeser1,2; Hédi D. Kallal3

1 Hoover Institution · 2 Harvard University Press · 3 New York University

Abstract

This paper tries to explain why the issuers of an asset would restrict what information is available about their asset. In a world where knowledge is valued, market forces should induce disclosure, but we often see markets (such as the market for mortgage-backed securities) where assets' issuers refuse to release valuable information. We present a model of market liquidity and find that market liquidity can both rise and fall with the quantity of released information. More information may increase asymmetries of information and “lemons” style breakdowns. We find that asset bundling is more advantageous when private information is more accurate, which may be the case in the mortgage-backed securities market.Journal of Economic LiteratureClassification Numbers: G14, G32.

DOI
10.1006/jfin.1997.0209
Volume
6
Issue
1
Pages
64-86
Language
en
Sources
bibtex:phds-export.bib openalex crossref

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