This paper presents a new lower bound on the equity premium in terms of a volatility index, SVIX, that can be calculated from index option prices. This bound, which relies only on very weak assumptions, implies that the equity premium is extremely volatile, and that it rose above 20% at the...

In this paper we approximate the risk factors of a polynomial arbitrage-free dynamic term structure model by running a sequential set of linear regressions independent across time. This approximation avoids the cost of a full optimization procedure allowing for a simple method to extract the...

I study a general equilibrium model in which investors face endowment risk and trade two correlated assets; one asset is traded on a liquid market whereas the other is traded on an illiquid over-the-counter (OTC) market. Endowment shocks not only make prices drop, they also make the OTC asset...

This paper extends the baseline Merton (1974) structural default model, which is intended for static debt spreads, to a setting with dynamic debt, where leverage can be ratcheted up as well as written down through pre-specified exogenous policies. We provide a different and novel solution...

The literature documents heterogeneity in the delay of stock-price reaction to systematic shocks, implying that asset risk depends on investment horizon. We study the pricing of risk factors across investment horizons. Value (liquidity) risk is priced over intermediate (short) horizons....

This paper reviews the young but rapidly growing literature on sovereign credit default swap premia. A discussion of current debates in the academic and popular press hopefully raises thought-provoking questions with valuable insights for academics, policymakers and practitioners alike. The main...

The design of the euro area Quantitative Easing (QE) programme raises the question of whether insufficient liquidity in the bond markets will reduce the impact of the programme and lead to market volatility. While estimates suggests that scarcity of around €102 billion may arise over the life...

This paper sheds new light on the liquidity dynamics of the credit default swaps (CDS) market in Europe around the Subprime crisis. Based on an original dataset of 94 European companies from 2005 to 2009, we use a panel regression analysis to study the relationship between CDS premiums and...

Changing economic environments, geopolitical instability, and the explosive growth of emerging markets, compounded by the recent turbulence in the world's capital markets, has posed new challenges for the study of asset pricing. The following study raises questions about the existence (lack of...

Investors seek to hedge against interest rate risk by taking long or short positions on bonds ofdifferent maturities. We study changes in risk taking behavior in a low interest rateenvironment by estimating a market stochastic discount factor that is non-linear and thereforeconsistent with the...