Philip Wooldridge

The Price Impact of Rating Announcements: Which Announcements Matter?

Credit rating agencies make multiple announcements, some of which are intended to reflect the latest information available about a firm and others of which are intended to provide a stable signal of credit quality. Using data on CDS spreads, we examine which of these different types of rating announcements contains pricingrelevant information. We find that all types, including changes in outlook, have a significant impact on CDS spreads. Even rating announcements preceded by similar announcements have an impact. The price impact is greatest for firms with split ratings, smallcap firms and firms rated near the threshold of investment grade.

Why Don't Asians Invest in Asia? The Determinants of Cross-Border Portfolio Holdings

This paper seeks to understand why Asian foreign investment is concentrated in financial markets outside of the region instead of in Asian markets. We analyze empirically the geographical composition of the cross-border portfolio holdings of more than 40 source countries. We compare these benchmark results with those of four subgroups: advanced industrial economies, emerging market economies, European economies, and Asia-Pacific economies. The lack of liquidity in Asian financial markets turns out to be one reason why Asian capital is invested predominantly outside the region, notwithstanding the short distances and large trade flows between Asian economies. Initiatives to improve the liquidity of Asian financial markets, therefore, may be a useful way to stimulate financial integration within the region.

The Changing Shape of Fixed Income Markets

This paper provides a broad overview of recent changes in the worlds major fixed income markets. It analyses the forces driving change, shifts in the supply of and demand for debt securities, the ebb and flow of liquidity, and new benchmarks for price discovery. Together with several related papers prepared by central bank economists, it highlights the growing importance of private-sector debt instruments.