On the Macroeconomics of Asset Shortages

17 Pages Posted: 1 Dec 2006

See all articles by Ricardo J. Caballero

Ricardo J. Caballero

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: November 23, 2006

Abstract

The world has a shortage of financial assets. Asset supply is having a hard time keeping up with the global demand for store of value and collateral by households, corporations, governments, insurance companies, and financial intermediaries more broadly. The equilibrium response of asset prices and valuations to these shortages has played a central role in global economic developments over the last twenty years. The so-called "global imbalances," the recurrent emergence of speculative bubbles (which recently have transited from emerging markets, to the dotcoms, to real estate, to gold...), the historically low real interest rates and associated "interest-rate conundrum," and even the widespread low inflation environment and deflationary episodes in parts of the world, all fall into place once one adopts this asset shortage perspective.

Keywords: Asset shortages, high valuations, speculative bubbles, low interest rates, low inflation, monetary policy, lender of last resort

JEL Classification: E3, E4, E5 F3, F41

Suggested Citation

Caballero, Ricardo J., On the Macroeconomics of Asset Shortages (November 23, 2006). MIT Department of Economics Working Paper No. 06-30, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=947587 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.947587

Ricardo J. Caballero (Contact Author)

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