We develop an approach that combines the estimation of monthly firm-level expected returns with an assignment of firms to (possibly) latent groups, both based upon observable characteristics, using machine learning principles with linear models. The best performing methods are flexible two-stage...

We study a dynamic general equilibrium model with costly-to-short stocks and heterogeneous beliefs. The closed-form solution to the model shows that costly short sales drive a wedge between the valuation of assets that promise identical cash flows but are subject to different trading...