We develop the regime-switching default risk (RSDR) model as a generalization of Merton's default risk (MDR) model. The RSDR model supports an expanded range of asset probability density functions. First, we show using simulation that the RSDR model incorporates sudden changes in asset values...

This paper studies the relationship between a country's risk of default and the illiquidity of bonds issued by the same country. Government bonds are traded in the secondary market on an inter-dealer electronic trading platform. Bond's illiquidity depends on both the country's fundamental and...