Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/152595 
Authors: 
Year of Publication: 
2002
Series/Report no.: 
ECB Working Paper No. 161
Publisher: 
European Central Bank (ECB), Frankfurt a. M.
Abstract: 
This paper deals with the optimal allocation of risks for an agent whose preferences may be represented with prospect theory (Tversky and Kahneman, 1992). A simple setting is considered with n identically distributed and symmetric sources of risk. Under expected utility, equal diversification of risks is optimal in this setting ('do not put your eggs in the same basket'). Conversely, under prospect theory, provided that the subjective probability of obtaining a perfect hedge is negligible, risk concentration is optimal ('do put your eggs in the same basket'). The intuitive reason behind this result is that a prospect theory agent is risk-seeking over losses, with the consequence that the proerty of diversification of averaging downside risks is welfare-reducing rather than welfare-improving.
JEL: 
D81
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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