Summary.
We consider the demand for state-contingent claims, in the presence of an independent zero-mean, non-hedgeable background risk. An agent is defined to be generalized risk averse if he/she chooses a demand function for contingent claims with a smaller slope everywhere, given a simple increase in background risk. We show that the conditions for standard risk aversion, that is positive, declining absolute risk aversion and prudence, are necessary and sufficient for generalized risk aversion.
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Received: 13 February 2002, Revised: 10 February 2003,
JEL Classification Numbers:
D52, D81, G11.
Correspondence to: Guenter Franke
We are grateful to Louis Eeckhoudt, Christian Gollier, Harris Schlesinger and an unknown referee for valuable comments.
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Franke, G., Stapleton, R.C. & Subrahmanyam, M.G. Background risk and the demand for state-contingent claims. Economic Theory 23, 321–335 (2004) (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00199-003-0368-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00199-003-0368-1