Model of Credit Risk, Optimal Policies, and Asset Prices

Posted: 19 Jul 2005

See all articles by Suleyman Basak

Suleyman Basak

London Business School; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

Alex Shapiro

New York University (NYU) - Department of Finance

Abstract

This article studies an economy with borrowers (firms or individuals) under costly default. Borrowers defaulting under adverse economic conditions may, despite incurring default costs, emerge as wealthier than nonborrowers. Asset substitution is generally not pronounced, although a larger risk exposure by borrowers may also occur, and then binary options emerge as useful credit derivatives. The asset-value dynamics are endogenously determined and shown to exhibit stochastic mean and volatility, in contrast to many credit risk models. In equilibrium, the market level is increased (decreased) in economic downturns (upturns) by the presence of credit risk.

Keywords: Credit risk, defaultable debt, investments, asset pricing, volatility

JEL Classification: G33, G11, G12, C61, D51

Suggested Citation

Basak, Suleyman and Shapiro, Alex, Model of Credit Risk, Optimal Policies, and Asset Prices. Journal of Business, Vol. 78, No. 4, July 2005, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=757924

Suleyman Basak (Contact Author)

London Business School ( email )

Sussex Place
Regent's Park
London, London NW1 4SA
United Kingdom
44 (0)20 7000 8256 (Phone)
44 (0)20 7000 8201 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.suleymanbasak.com

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

London
United Kingdom

Alex Shapiro

New York University (NYU) - Department of Finance ( email )

Stern School of Business
44 West 4th Street
New York, NY 10012-1126
United States
212-998-0362 (Phone)
212-995-4233 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.stern.nyu.edu/~ashapiro/

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