The International Diversification Puzzle Is Not as Bad as You Think

Jonathan Heathcote and Fabrizio Perri

Journal of Political Economy, 2013, vol. 121, issue 6, 1108 - 1159

Abstract: The international diversification puzzle is the fact that country portfolios are on average biased toward domestic assets, while one-good international macro models with nondiversifiable labor income risk predict the opposite pattern of diversification. This paper embeds a portfolio choice decision in a two-good international business cycle model and provides a closed-form solution for equilibrium country portfolios. Equilibrium portfolios are biased toward domestic assets because endogenous international relative price fluctuations make domestic assets a good hedge against labor income risk. Evidence from developed economies in recent years is qualitatively and quantitatively consistent with the mechanisms highlighted by the theory.

Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (114)

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Related works:
Working Paper: The international diversification puzzle is not as bad as you think (2013)
Working Paper: The International Diversification Puzzle is Not as Bad as You Think (2008)
Working Paper: The international diversification puzzle is not as bad as you think (2007)
Working Paper: The International Diversification Puzzle Is Not as Bad as You Think (2007)
Working Paper: The International Diversification Puzzle Is Not As Bad As You Think (2007)
Working Paper: The international diversification puzzle is not as bad as you think (2004)
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