What’s in a Score? Differences in Consumers’ Credit Knowledge Using OLS and Quantile Regressions

Credit literacy depends, in part, on understanding credit reports and scores. The U.S. Government Accountability Office conducted a study in 2004 to assess consumers’ knowledge of credit reports, credit scores, and the dispute resolution process. This study uses the Government Accountability Office data and estimates a series of ordinary least squares and quantile regressions to identify specific subgroups of the population that could benefit from more targeted consumer policies and financial education. The findings from this research have important implications for consumer educators, financial professionals, and policy makers, especially with respect to national strategies designed to improve consumers’ financial well‐being.     

The Effect of a Rating Downgrade on Outstanding Commercial Paper

Diamond (1991) argues that a firm's reputation determines whether it borrows directly or through an intermediary. We test the Diamond model by examining the quantity response of commercial paper issued by bank holding companies to a rating downgrade. From 1986 to 1991, cumulative abnormal declines averaged 6.69 percent in the first two weeks after the downgrade and 11.05 percent in the subsequent 12 weeks. In contrast to commercial paper issued by bank holding companies, large CDs issued by affiliated banks did not change significantly in the period around a downgrade, suggesting that deposit insurance may have removed market discipline from the CD market.