Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/247613 
Authors: 
Year of Publication: 
2021
Citation: 
[Journal:] Econometrics [ISSN:] 2225-1146 [Volume:] 9 [Issue:] 2 [Publisher:] MDPI [Place:] Basel [Year:] 2021 [Pages:] 1-20
Publisher: 
MDPI, Basel
Abstract: 
This paper investigates the incentive of credit rating agencies (CRAs) to bias ratings using a semiparametric, ordered-response model. The proposed model explicitly takes conflicts of interest into account and allows the ratings to depend flexibly on risk attributes through a semiparametric index structure. Asymptotic normality for the estimator is derived after using several bias correction techniques. Using Moody's rating data from 2001 to 2016, I found that firms related to Moody's shareholders were more likely to receive better ratings. Such favorable treatments were more pronounced in investment grade bonds compared with high yield bonds, with the 2007-2009 financial crisis being an exception. Parametric models, such as the ordered-probit, failed to identify this heterogeneity of the rating bias across different bond categories.
Subjects: 
bias control
credit ratings
financial crisis
semiparametric method
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by Logo
Document Type: 
Article

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