We report a surprising property of u-o-preferences: the assumption of nonincreasing relative risk aversion implies the optimal portfolio being riskless. We discuss a solution of that paradox in detail. (JEL D80, G11, D10).

We analyze empirically the household financial portfolio allocation decision using a variance decomposition technique that takes into account the constrained, non-normal nature of household portfolio allocation observations. We apply the technique to a relatively wide collection of financial...

For a long list of investment “biases,” including lack of diversification, excessive trading, and the disposition effect, we find that genetic differences explain up to 45% of the remaining variation across individual investors, after controlling for observable individual characteristics....

As opposed to institutional investors, individual investors typically have several investment objectives in mind. The traditional utility maximization approach is not only oversimplified but also may not be suitable for real world application. Behavioral asset allocation divides a portfolio into...

This research develops a stochastic model of the consumer's decision making under an environment of risk and uncertainty. In the proposed model agents perceive that a mixed diffusionjump process drives the exchange rate depreciation and a diffusion process governs the real interest rate, these...

This research develops a stochastic model of the consumer's decision making under an environment of risk and uncertainty. In the proposed model agents perceive that a mixed diffusionjump process drives the exchange rate depreciation and a diffusion process governs the real interest rate, these...

This paper develops a life-cycle portfolio allocation model to address the effects of housing investment on the portfolio allocation of households. The model employs a comprehensive housing investment structure, Epstein-Zin recursive preferences and a stock market entry cost. Furthermore, rather...

We study an investment experiment conducted with a representative sample of German households. Respondents invest in a safe asset and a risky asset whose return is tied to the German stock market. Experimental investments correlate with beliefs about stock market returns and exhibit desirable...

Using a unique administrative data set from a large German commercial bank, this paper aims to ascertain the role of financial advisors in individual portfolios. Following on the heels of the ongoing regulatory and political debate as to the merits of financial advice, we focus in this paper on...

This study questions the popular stereotype that women are more risk averse than men in their financial investment decisions. The analysis is based on micro-level data from large-scale surveys of private households in five European countries. In our analysis of investment decisions, we directly...