I examine how transparency and inter-dealer trading affects prices investors pay in municipal bond offerings. Real-time trade reporting for municipal bonds started January 31, 2005. The dispersion of purchase prices fell sharply at that time. There was little impact on average markups for most...

A short squeeze occurs if borrowed shares are recalled and the short seller is unable to find another source of shares. This forces the short seller to terminate a position early. For most stocks the probability of a short squeeze is very low. Short squeezes, however, are not unusual for the...

Short selling is risky. Borrowed shares may be recalled and the short seller may be forced to terminate a position early. The stock price may rise forcing the short seller to post additional collateral. Borrowing fees may be increased before the short position is closed. Utilization is the...

What matters to investors is not individual dividends but the commitment to pay the same or higher level of dividends for the foreseeable future. With this implicit contract the firm assures investors that “you can consume at the level of the dividend for the foreseeable future without fear of...

The program evaluation literature for population and health policies is in flux, with many disciplines documenting biological and behavioral linkages from fetal development to late life mortality, chronic disease, and disability, though their implications for policy remain uncertain. Both macro...