This paper examines the changes in trading activity around stock splits, and its impact on both the volatility and the bid-ask spread. After a stock split, there is a significant increase in the volatility and the spread, even after controlling for the effects of microstructure biases like price...

We develop a model of commodity money and use it to analyze the following two questions motivated by issues in monetary history: What are the conditions under which Gresham's Law holds? And, what are the mechanics of a debasement (lowering the metallic content of coins)? The model contains light...

This paper examines the implications of bankruptcy law for owner managed firms. These firms are typically (i) smaller, (ii) their value is closely tied to the skills of the owner manager, and (iii) the owner manager represents a feasible source of capital contributions if the firm is in...

We propose a simple model that is suitable for evaluating alternative bank capital regulatory proposals for market risk. Our model formalizes the conflict between bank objectives and regulatory goals. Banks' decisions represent a tension between their desire to exploit the deposit-insurance put...

This paper considers the extent to which loan commitments mitigate the problem of information monopolies that arise when the firm contracts with a private lender. Loan commitments in conjunction with short-term debt often provide the firm with superior investment incentives by influencing both...

We reexamine the impact of stock splits on the volatility and liquidity of the stock. We develop a model of trading where the number of informed traders and changes in the volatility and liquidity are endogenously determined by changes in the number of noise traders. Our empirical evidence...