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Review of Economic Studies Vol. 51 No. 2 1984

Prices, Product Qualities and Asymmetric Information: The Competitive Case

Russell Cooper1; Thomas W. Ross2,3

1 Yale University · 2 University of Chicago · 3 Carleton University

Abstract

Recent developments in the economics of information emphasize the informational content of prices. We examine the degree to which prices convey information on product quality to uninformed agents. Under perfect competition, we show that a rational expectations equilibrium may not exist. When an equilibrium does exist, the information on quality conveyed by prices depends on the shape of the average cost curves and the relative numbers of informed and uniformed agents.

DOI
10.2307/2297687
Volume
51
Issue
2
Pages
197
Sources
openalex crossref

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