Journal Article
Comovements among national stock markets
Kasa, Kenneth (1995)
This paper uses the methodology of Hansen and Jaganathan (1991) to derive a lower bound on the correlation between any pair of asset returns under the hypothesis of complete markets. The bound is a simple function of the two assets' Sharpe ratios and the coefficient of variation of a unique stochastic discount factor. The paper uses this bound to conduct robust, nonparametric tests of the hypothesis that international equity markets are integrated. ; Using monthly stock return data from the U.S., Japan, and Great Britain for the period 1980 through 1993, I find that conclusions about market ...
Economic Review

Working Paper
Optimal policy with limited commitment
Kasa, Kenneth (1994)
This paper uses Whiteman's(1986) frequency-domain optimization methodology to parameterize the precommitment period in a standard rational expectations policy design model. This allows researchers to adopt an empirical approach to the time consistency issue. That is, the operative commitment horizon in a given policy setting can be estimated along with the other parameters characterizing the preferences and constraints of the agents in the model. It is shown that the commitment horizon can be estimated by running (restricted) regressions of the policymaker's instrument variable on past values ...
Working Papers in Applied Economic Theory , Paper 94-16

Working Paper
A robust Hansen-Sargent prediction formula
Kasa, Kenneth (2000)
This paper derives a formula for the optimal forecast of a discounted sum of future values of a random variable. This problem reflects a preference for robustness in the presence of (unstructured) model uncertainty. The paper shows that revisions of a robust forecast are more sensitive to new information, and discusses the relevance of this result to previous findings of excess sensitivity of consumption and asset prices to new information.
Working Paper Series , Paper 2000-11

Journal Article
Contractionary effects of devaluation
Kasa, Kenneth (1998)
FRBSF Economic Letter

Journal Article
Japanese trade deficits?
Kasa, Kenneth (1997)
FRBSF Economic Letter

Journal Article
The role of relative performance in bank closure decisions
Kasa, Kenneth; Spiegel, Mark M. (2008)
This paper studies a banking industry subject to common and idiosyncratic shocks. We compare two types of regulatory closure rules: (1) an absolute closure rule, which closes banks when their assetliability ratios fall below a given threshold, and (2) a relative closure rule, which closes banks when their assetliability ratios fall sufficiently below the industry average. There are two main results: First, relative closure rules imply forbearance during bad times, defined as adverse realizations of the common shock. This forbearance occurs for incentive reasons, not because of ...
Economic Review

Journal Article
Will inflation targeting work in developing countries?
Kasa, Kenneth (2001)
FRBSF Economic Letter

Journal Article
Does Singapore invest too much?
Kasa, Kenneth (1997)
FRBSF Economic Letter

Working Paper
The role of relative performance in bank closure decisions
Spiegel, Mark M.; Kasa, Kenneth (1999)
This paper studies a competitive banking industry subject to common and idiosyncratic shocks. The induced correlation across bank portfolio returns can be used by a regulator to improve inferences about bank portfolio choices. We compare two types of closure rules: (1) an 'absolute closure rule', which closes banks when their own individual asset/liability ratios fall below a given threshold, and (2) a 'relative closure rule', which closes banks when their asset/liability ratios fall below the industry average by a given amount. ; Two main results emerge from the model. First, a relative ...
Working Papers in Applied Economic Theory , Paper 99-07

Journal Article
Gaiatsu
Kasa, Kenneth (1995)
FRBSF Economic Letter