Liquid markets where agents have limited capacity to sign exclusive contracts may permit agents to promise the same asset to multiple counterparties and subsequently default. I show that in such markets an exchange can arise as an intermediary whose only role is to set limits on the number of...

This paper addresses large markets where agents cannot commit to sign exclusive contracts may induce agents to promise the same asset to multiple counterparties and subsequently default. Is how that in such markets an intermediary can increase welfare by simply setting limits on the number of...

In “Using Collateral to Secure Loans,” Yaron Leitner asks: Why is collateral used to secure some loans, but not others? And why does collateral potentially involve more risk? He considers these questions, looking at some of the explanations for using collateral, focusing on its benefits and...

In "A Lifeline for the Weakest Link? Financial Contagion and Network Design," Yaron Leitner describes how contagion can occur, explains why the threat of contagion is not necessarily a bad thing, and shows why some firms may choose to bail out other firms that are facing financial problems.

Is there a link between the stock market and business investment? Empirical evidence indicates that there is. A firm tends to invest more when its stock price increases, and it tends to invest less when the price falls. In “Stock Prices and Business Investment,” Yaron Leitner discusses...

Venture capital financing relies heavily on convertible securities; the most common type is convertible preferred stock. Venture capital contracts also specify control rights that describe who gets to make the firm's decisions. The recent literature has provided some theoretical explanations for...

Although innovative contracts are important for economic growth, when firms face uncertainty as to whether contracts will be enforced, they may choose not to innovate. Legal uncertainty can arise if a judge interprets the terms of a contract in a way that is antithetical to the intentions of the...

We study trade between an informed seller and an uninformed buyer who have existing inventories of assets similar to those being traded. We show that these inventories could induce the buyer to increase the price (a run-up) but could also make trade impossible (a freeze) and hamper information...

Superseded by Working Paper 15-10.<p> We study an optimal disclosure policy of a regulator who has information about banks’ ability to overcome future liquidity shocks. We focus on the following trade-off: Disclosing some information may be necessary to prevent a market breakdown, but disclosing...</p>

Supersedes Working Paper 13-26<p>. We study an optimal disclosure policy of a regulator that has information about banks’ ability to overcome future liquidity shocks. We focus on the following tradeoff: Disclosing some information may be necessary to prevent a market breakdown, but disclosing too...</p>