This paper analyses the application of a switching volatility model to forecast the Ž . distribution of returns and to estimate the Value-at-Risk VaR of both single assets and portfolios. We calculate the VaR value for 10 Italian stocks and a number of portfolios based on these stocks. The calculated VaR values are also compared with the variance–coŽ . variance approach used by JP Morgan in Ris...

This paper models loan rate-setting behavior, taking into account the product pricing and performance of the borrowing firm, and also calculates the bank’s loan-risk sensitive equity values. The lending function creates the need to model bank equity as a capped call option, which captures the credit risk directly related to management of a firm’s operations. When the product price set by the bo...

Using payday-lender administrative data matched to borrower credit attributes from a national credit bureau, I find that borrowers who engage in protracted refinancing (“rollover”) activity have better financial outcomes (measured by changes in credit scores) than consumers whose borrowing is limited to shorter periods. These results are robust to an alternative definition of a “rollover” that ...

This paper offers an analytical framework with which to assess some recent proposals for strengthening the international financial architecture. We develop a model of sovereign liquidity crises that reflects two sources of financial stress – weak fundamentals and self-fulfilling expectations. We examine the nature of the underlying co-ordination game and investigate the properties of the unique...

We analyze optimal risk management strategies of a bank financed with deposits and equity in a one period model. The bank’s motivation for risk management comes from deposits which can lead to bank runs. In the event of such a run, liquidation costs arise. The hedging strategy that maximizes the value of equity is derived. We identify conditions under which well known results such as complete h...

On September 4, 2002, the SEC implemented a de minimis exemption to the trade-through rule for three active ETFs, allowing markets to execute trades at prices up to three cents worse than those posted elsewhere. Relaxing the trade-through rule does not worsen ETF market quality. Effective and realized spreads are essentially unchanged or slightly smaller post-event, and prices become slightly m...

I study the optimal architecture of bank supervision in a federal system. A central supervisor gets information about a bank, for instance through stress-testing, and decides whether an on-site examination should be performed by a local or a central authority. Local supervisors have lower inspection costs, but do not internalize crossborder externalities. The optimal degree of centralization de...

Proposals for regulation requiring that banks maintain some minimum level of subordinated debt have gained support recently. These proposals focus on the benefits of such regulation, specifically, that supervisors are expected to free ride on debtholders’ monitoring efforts. But there are also monitoring and other costs: there is no real free ride. This paper uses the theory of capital structur...

In this paper, we examine the risk characteristics and capital adequacy of hedge funds using Value-at-Risk (based on Extreme Value Theory) as the criterion for measuring risk and estimating capital requirements. Using extensive data on nearly thirteen hundred live and dead hedge funds, we find that the vast majority of funds are adequately capitalized. In addition, a large fraction of hedge fun...

This paper examines the impact of the risk-based capital (RBC) requirements on bank cost efficiencies. We take into consideration both onand off-balance sheet (OBS) products and allow product mixes to differ across banks and to vary over time. Our empirical results suggest that the cost structures of large banks are significantly different during the pre-RBC and post-RBC periods. That is, the R...