Frictional asset reallocation under adverse selection

The aim of this paper is to study asset reallocation in financial markets subject to search, bargaining, and information frictions, and to analyze the impact of monetary policy on equilibrium outcomes. The main results show that private information regarding the quality of an asset impairs its liquidity and reduces both trading volume and consumption. As a consequence, a positive liquidity differential between money and real assets emerges, resulting in an increased demand for fiat money, as observed since the eruption of the global financial crisis. A policy intervention replacing information sensitive assets with government bonds or fiat money, as done in the asset-purchase program implemented by the Federal Reserve Bank, improves welfare.