I study a general equilibrium menu cost model with a continuum of sectors, idiosyncratic and aggregate shocks, and the novel feature that each sector consists of strategically engaged firms. Compared to an economy with monopolistically competitive sectors--separately parameterized to match the...

Personal bankruptcies in the United States have increased dramatically, rising from 1.4 per thousand working age population in 1970 to 8.5 in 2002. We use a heterogeneous agent life-cycle model with competitive financial intermediaries who can observe households' earnings, age and current asset...