Multimodality in macro-financial dynamics

We estimate the evolution of the conditional joint distribution of economic and financial conditions in the United States, documenting a novel empirical fact: while the joint distribution is approximately Gaussian during normal periods, sharp tightenings of financial conditions lead to the emergence of additional modes-that is, multiple economic equilibria. Although the U.S. economy has historically reverted quickly to a "good" equilibrium after a tightening of financial conditions, we conjecture that poor policy choices under these circumstances could also open a pathway to a "bad" equilibrium for a prolonged period. We argue that such multimodality arises naturally in a macro-financial intermediary model with occasionally binding intermediary constraints.