Linearity-Generating Processes: A Modelling Tool Yielding Closed Forms for Asset Prices

53 Pages Posted: 26 Sep 2007 Last revised: 12 Sep 2022

See all articles by Xavier Gabaix

Xavier Gabaix

Harvard University - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI)

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Date Written: September 2007

Abstract

This methodological paper presents a class of stochastic processes with appealing properties for theoretical or empirical work in finance and macroeconomics, the "linearity-generating" class. Its key property is that it yields simple exact closed-form expressions for stocks and bonds, with an arbitrary number of factors. It operates in discrete and continuous time. It has a number of economic modeling applications. These include macroeconomic situations with changing trend growth rates, or stochastic probability of disaster, asset pricing with stochastic risk premia or stochastic dividend growth rates, and yield curve analysis that allows flexibility and transparency. Many research questions may be addressed more simply and in closed form by using the linearity-generating class.

Suggested Citation

Gabaix, Xavier, Linearity-Generating Processes: A Modelling Tool Yielding Closed Forms for Asset Prices (September 2007). NBER Working Paper No. w13430, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1016965

Xavier Gabaix (Contact Author)

Harvard University - Department of Economics ( email )

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Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

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