This paper examines the decentralization process in Colombia, particularly as it relates to reforms embodied in the 1991 Constitution, and the bailouts of territorial entities that have occurred in subsequent years as a result of perverse incentive structures. The paper provides a summary of the...

In this paper, we use the largest exchange rate survey in Colombia to test for the rational expectations hypothesis, the presence of a time-varying risk premium and the accuracy of exchange rate forecasts. Our findings indicate that episodes of exchange rate appreciation preceded expectations of...

The adoption of a managed regime assumes that interventions are relatively successful. However, while some authors consider that foreign exchange interventions are not effective, arguing that domestic and foreign assets are close substitutes, others advocate their use and maintain that their...

This paper evaluates the degree to which Colombian firms face credit restrictions that alter their investment decisions. It analyzes whether the evolution of the financial sector during the 1990s, characterized by an intense financial liberalization, an increase in size and a deepening of the...

This paper evaluates the degree to which Colombian firms face credit restrictions that alter their investment decisions. It analyzes whether the evolution of the financial sector during the 1990s, characterized by an intense financial liberalization, an increase in size and a deepening of the...

Using a novel measure of stock-level trade imitation, we uncover "smart" copycats: fund managers that use their own information when beneficial, and otherwise imitate other managers' better trades. Contrary to previous research, we find that these partial imitation strategies lead to...