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Optimal margins and equilibrium prices

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  • Biais, Bruno
  • Heider, Florian
  • Hoerova, Marie

Abstract

We study the interaction between contracting and equilibrium pricing when risk- averse hedgers purchase insurance from risk-neutral investors subject to moral hazard. Moral hazard limits risk-sharing. In the individually optimal contract, margins are called (after bad news) to improve risk-sharing. But margin calls depress the price of investors' assets, affecting other investors negatively. Because of this fire-sale externality, there is too much use of margins in the market equilibrium compared to the utilitarian optimum. Moreover, equilibrium multiplicity can arise: In a pessimistic equilibrium, hedgers who fear low prices request high margins to obtain more insurance. Large margin calls trigger large price drops, confirming initial pessimistic expectations. Finally, moral hazard generates endogenous market incompleteness, raises risk premia, and induces contagion between asset classes.

Suggested Citation

  • Biais, Bruno & Heider, Florian & Hoerova, Marie, 2017. "Optimal margins and equilibrium prices," TSE Working Papers 17-819, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE).
    • Handle: RePEc:tse:wpaper:31769
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bank for International Settlements, 2010. "The role of margin requirements and haircuts in procyclicality," CGFS Papers, Bank for International Settlements, number 36, december.
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    6. Bruce C. Greenwald & Joseph E. Stiglitz, 1986. "Externalities in Economies with Imperfect Information and Incomplete Markets," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 101(2), pages 229-264.
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    9. Viral V. Acharya & S. Viswanathan, 2011. "Leverage, Moral Hazard, and Liquidity," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 66(1), pages 99-138, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Koenig, Philipp J. & Pothier, David, 2022. "Safe but fragile: Information acquisition, liquidity support and redemption runs," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Insurance; Derivatives; Moral hazard; Risk-management; Margin requirements; Contagion; Fire-sales;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G22 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Insurance; Insurance Companies; Actuarial Studies

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