Urban Jermann

Urban Jermann
  • Safra Professor of International Finance and Capital Markets, Professor of Economics
  • Professor of Finance

Contact Information

  • office Address:

    2327 Steinberg-Dietrich Hall
    3620 Locust Walk
    Philadelphia, PA 19104

Research Interests: asset pricing, international finance, macroeconomics

Links: CV, Personal Website

Overview

Education

PhD, The Graduate Institute of International Studies, Geneva, Switzerland, 1994; Licence, Universite de Geneve, Faculte des sciences economiques et sociales, Geneva, Switzerland, 1988.

Academic Positions Held

Wharton: 1994-present (named Safra Professor of International Finance and Capital Markets, 2007). Previous appointments: University of Virginia; Universite de Geneve. Visiting appointment: University of Rochester.

Other Positions

Co-Editor Journal of Monetary Economics, Editor Review of Economic Dynamics.

NBER Research Associate, Asset Pricing, International Finance & Macroecononomics.

Senior Economist, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, 2000-01; Visiting Scholar, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, 1997, 1999, 2007-2012; Economist, National Australia Bank, Melbourne, 1988-89.
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Research

  • Joao F. Gomes, Urban Jermann, Lukas Schmid (2016), Sticky Leverage, American Economic Review, 2016.

    Abstract: We develop a tractable general equilibrium model that captures the interplay between nominal long-term corporate debt, inflation, and real aggregates. We show that unanticipated inflation changes the real burden of debt and, more significantly, leads to a debt overhang that distorts future investment and production decisions. For these effects to be both large and very persistent it is essential that debt maturity exceeds one period. We also show that interest rate rules can help stabilize our economy.

  • Urban Jermann and Vincenzo Quadrini (2012), Macroeconomic Effects of Financial Shocks, American Economic Review.

  • Urban Jermann (2010), The Equity Premium Implied by Production, Journal of Financial Economics.

  • Urban Jermann and Vincenzo Quadrini (2007), Stock Market Boom and the Productivity Gains of the 1990s, Journal of Monetary Economics.

  • Fernando Alvarez and Urban Jermann (2005), Using Asset Prices to Measure the Persistence of the Marginal Utility of Wealth, Econometrica, November 2005, 1977-2016.

  • Fernando Alvarez and Urban Jermann (2004), Using Asset Prices to Measure the Cost of Business Cycles, Journal of Political Economy, December 2004, 1223-56.

Teaching

All Courses

  • FNCE2190 - Intl Financial Markets/Crypto

    Major topics include foreign exchange rates, international money markets, currency and interest rate derivatives, international stock and bond portfolios, and cryptocurrencies. Students learn about the features of financial instruments and the motivations of market participants. The class focuses on risk management, investing, and arbitrage in these markets. In addition to course prerequisites, FNCE 1010 is recommended but not required.

  • FNCE7190 - Intl Financial Markets/Crypto

    Major topics include foreign exchange rates, international money markets, currency and interest rate derivatives, international stock and bond portfolios, and cryptocurrencies. Students learn about the features of financial instruments and the motivations of market participants. The class focuses on risk management, investing, and arbitrage in these markets. In addition to course prerequisites, FNCE 6130 is recommended but not required.

  • FNCE9330 - International Finance

    To provide an understanding of selected topics of current academic research in the areas of international finance and its intersection with international macroeconomics; to teach interested students the tools for conducting research in this field. Each topic will be developed beginning with early classic papers and then updated through the current status of the profession. The typical target audience comprises students in their second year or later. Prerequisite: Completion of first year course requirements

In the News

Knowledge at Wharton

Activity

Latest Research

Joao F. Gomes, Urban Jermann, Lukas Schmid (2016), Sticky Leverage, American Economic Review, 2016.
All Research

In the News

Why the Shift in Benchmark Rates Could Hurt Banks

Wharton’s Urban Jermann finds that banks got sizable protection from the much-maligned LIBOR in the last recession. Its replacement, SOFR, won’t measure up in future crises, he warned.…Read More

Knowledge at Wharton - 6/6/2022
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