Assets, human capital, and growth

In this paper we illustrate the possible normative relevance of the links between human capital and financial assets via an example related to growth. When the financial structure is complete, growth is indeterminate because individual allocations between human capital and a tradable asset are indeterminate. When the financial structure is incomplete, the growth rate depends on the payoff structure of the assets. An issue of optimality for the structure of asset returns is raised.