Flight to Quality and Asset Allocation in a Financial Crisis

Abstract

With respect to the recent financial crisis, the authors argue that the appropriate adjustments to portfolio allocations in response to the market dislocation are determined by equilibrium considerations (supply must equal demand) and depend on individual investors’ characteristics relative to societal averages. Using a simple model that captures the magnitude of the recent crisis, the authors show that the optimal tactical adjustments for most portfolios require a turnover of less than 10%.