quilibrium in a Two-Period Endowment Economy with CRRA Utility he Constant Relative Risk Aversion (CRRA) utility function is a widely used pecification of preferences in economics that captures risk aversion and intertem onsumption smoothing. The CRRA utility function has the desirable property that
quilibrium in a Two-Period Endowment Economy with CRRA Utility he Constant Relative Risk Aversion (CRRA) utility function is a widely used pecification of preferences in economics that captures risk aversion and intertem onsumption smoothing. The CRRA utility function has the desirable property that
Chapter1: Making Economics Decisions
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 1QTC
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
Transcribed Image Text:Equilibrium in a Two-Period Endowment Economy with CRRA Utility
The Constant Relative Risk Aversion (CRRA) utility function is a widely used
specification of preferences in economics that captures risk aversion and intertemporal
consumption smoothing. The CRRA utility function has the desirable property that the
degree of risk aversion is constant and independent of the level of consumption. This
means that as a household's consumption grows, its willingness to take risks remains
the same. The coefficient of relative risk aversion (σ) measures the extent to which
households are risk averse and prefer a smooth consumption path over time. A higher
value of σ indicates a greater degree of risk aversion and a stronger preference for
consumption smoothing. Consider a two-period endowment economy with a large
number of identical households. Each household has the following lifetime utility
function:
U(j) =
Ct (j) ¹-0 -1
1-σ
8 (C4+1(1) 1-0-1)
+ B
where Ct(j) and C++1(j) are consumption in periods t and t + 1 for household j, re-
spectively, ẞ is the discount factor, and σ > 0 is the coefficient of relative risk aversion.
All households are endowed with an exogenous amount of income, Y, in period t and
Y++1 in period t + 1. Households can borrow or lend at a common real interest rate, rt.
a) Writing Down the Intertemporal Budget Constraint
Write down the household's intertemporal budget constraint.
b) Deriving the Euler Equation
Formulate the household's problem and derive the household's Euler equation
using the CRRA utility function.
c) Deriving the Optimal Consumption Function
Derive the household's optimal consumption function in each period (Ct and
Ct+1) as a function of Yt Yt+1, and rt .
d) Discussing the Equilibrium in the Endowment Economy
In the endowment economy, aggregate consumption must equal aggregate
endowment in each period. Using this condition and the optimal consumption
functions derived in (c), discuss how the equilibrium real interest rate rt is
determined in this economy. Explain the role of the real interest rate in ensuring
equilibrium in the lending market and why it is necessary for achieving this
equilibrium
e) Analyzing the Effect of Changes in Relative Risk Aversion
Given the consumption functions, discuss how changes in the coefficient of
relative risk aversion (σ) affect the household's consumption choices and the
sensitivity of these choices to changes in the real interest rate. Provide an
intuitive explanation for your findings.
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