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Activity Number: 301 - Application of Asymmetric Classification and Multiple Testing
Type: Invited
Date/Time: Wednesday, August 11, 2021 : 3:30 PM to 5:20 PM
Sponsor: WNAR
Abstract #315529
Title: International Reserves, Risk Tolerance, and Crisis Risk
Author(s): Yang Feng* and Xin Tong and Weining Xin
Companies: New York University and University of Southern California and International Monetary Fund
Keywords: prevention policy; crisis; cost asymmetry; Neyman-Pearson; risk tolerence
Abstract:

This work investigates the mutual interaction between crisis risk estimation and crisis prevention policy in the context of sudden stops. Proposing a two-stage framework embedding an early-warning problem into a policy-making problem, this paper conducts a welfare analysis of crisis risk estimation based on subsequent policy responses. Building upon this two-stage framework, this paper shows that there is welfare cost asymmetry between two types of errors: the welfare-maximizing weight on the percentage of missed crises must be greater than that on the percentage of false alarms. Introducing a constrained optimization under the Neyman-Pearson paradigm to solve this error-asymmetry problem reduces overall welfare loss by more than 20 percent. Bringing this welfare-based crisis risk estimation model to emerging market countries’ data, this paper uncovers time-varying risk tolerance of policymakers and explores its policy implications on identifying leading indicators and determining levels of reserves through counterfactual analysis.


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