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RISK‐AVERSION, OPTIMAL LEVERAGE AND THE INVESTMENT–UNCERTAINTY RELATION
Author(s) -
Femminis Gianluca
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
metroeconomica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.256
H-Index - 29
eISSN - 1467-999X
pISSN - 0026-1386
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-999x.2006.00240.x
Subject(s) - economics , marginal revenue , volatility (finance) , microeconomics , leverage (statistics) , portfolio , investment (military) , debt , econometrics , monetary economics , financial economics , marginal cost , finance , political science , machine learning , politics , computer science , law
We develop a partial equilibrium dynamic model in which firms are risk‐averse. We analyse the determinants of the investment–uncertainty relationship by means of numerical techniques. When firms can borrow ‘outside’ resources at the riskless rate, an increase in price volatility depresses investment for realistic parameter values. In our model, portfolio considerations play an important role. When the marginal revenue of capital becomes more uncertain, the risk‐averse firm's owners reduce their ‘short position’ in the risk‐free asset, thus diminishing the firm's debt level. The contraction in leverage reduces the expected returns on investment because the expected marginal revenue product is higher than the user cost of capital. In turn, the reduction in expected yields tends to depress investment.