Introducing assets backed by physical collateral, we extend the Cornet and De Boisdeffre (2002) model of asymmetric information to allow for default. We show that, independently of the financial-informational structure, equilibrium exists.

By introducing repo markets we understand how agents need to borrow issued securities before shorting them: (re)-hypothecation is at the heart of shorting. Non-negative amounts of securities in the box of an agent (amounts borrowed or owned but not lent on) can be sold, and recursive use of...