Understanding Term Structures of Interest Rates
Explore the Term Structure of Interest Rates with real interest rate considerations, anomalies in the yield curve, and the Expectations Hypothesis. Learn why holding short-term vs. long-term bonds and their implications.
Understanding Term Structures of Interest Rates
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Presentation Transcript
Chapter 7:Learning Objectives • Term Structure of Interest Rates
Chapter 7:Learning Objectives • Term Structure of Interest Rates • expectations & other hypotheses
Chapter 7:Learning Objectives • Term Structure of Interest Rates • expectations & other hypotheses • real interest rate considerations
Chapter 7:Learning Objectives • Term Structure of Interest Rates • expectations & other hypotheses • real interest rate considerations • Anomalies in the yield curve
The Term Structure of Interest Rates: The Expectations Hypothesis • Why hold short-term vs. Long-term bonds? • Should their yields be linked to each other? E11 R1 R2
The Key Relations in the Expectations Hypothesis The Simplest case: R2 = (R1 + E11)/2 The General case: Rn = (R1 + E11 + E21 + … + En-11)/n
Hypothetical Yield Curves Yield Rising Constant Falling Term
Financial Focus 7.1 • Hypothetical YC are an estimate of the relationship between yield and term to maturity Yield Term
Financial Focus 7.1 • Hypothetical YC are an estimate of the relationship between yield and term to maturity • Yield curves must be constructed for similar types of financial instruments Yield Term
Financial Focus 7.1 • Hypothetical YC are an estimate of the relationship between yield and term to maturity • Yield curves must be constructed for similar types of financial instruments • One must not read too much into the shape/slope of a yield curve Yield Term
Yield Curve Puzzles • The Yield curve is generally upward sloping
Yield Curve Puzzles • The Yield curve is generally upward sloping • Table 7.3 shows that the term premium is generally positive
Table 7.3: Yield differential relative to 90-day treasury bills
Yield Curve Puzzles • The Yield curve is generally upward sloping • Table 7.3 shows that the term premium is generally positive • The yield curve tends to shift over time
Yield Curve Puzzles • The Yield curve is generally upward sloping • Table 7.3 shows that the term premium is generally positive • The yield curve tends to shift over time • Figure 7.3 shows that inflation tends to shift the entire yield curve
Yield Curve Puzzles • The Yield curve is generally upward sloping • Table 7.3 shows that the term premium is generally positive • The yield curve tends to shift over time • Figure 7.3 shows that inflation tends to shift the entire yield curve • The slope of the yield curve tends to predict future economic activity
POINT: COUNTERPOINT: POINT-COUNTERPOINT 7.1: The Information Content in Yield Curves
POINT: The YC is easy to understand COUNTERPOINT: POINT-COUNTERPOINT 7.1: The Information Content in Yield Curves
POINT: The YC is easy to understand At maturities of <= 3 yrs inflation forecasting performance is good COUNTERPOINT: POINT-COUNTERPOINT 7.1: The Information Content in Yield Curves
POINT: The YC is easy to understand At maturities of <= 3 yrs inflation forecasting performance is good Useful pedagogical device to understanding central bank policies COUNTERPOINT: POINT-COUNTERPOINT 7.1: The Information Content in Yield Curves
POINT: The YC is easy to understand At maturities of <= 3 yrs inflation forecasting performance is good Useful pedagogical device to understanding central bank policies Helps to understand debt management COUNTERPOINT: POINT-COUNTERPOINT 7.1: The Information Content in Yield Curves
POINT: The YC is easy to understand At maturities of <= 3 yrs inflation forecasting performance is good Useful pedagogical device to understanding central bank policies Helps to understand debt management COUNTERPOINT: LT and ST bonds are not good substitutes POINT-COUNTERPOINT 7.1: The Information Content in Yield Curves
POINT: The YC is easy to understand At maturities of <= 3 yrs inflation forecasting performance is good Useful pedagogical device to understanding central bank policies Helps to understand debt management COUNTERPOINT: LT and ST bonds are not good substitutes Transactions costs can be significant POINT-COUNTERPOINT 7.1: The Information Content in Yield Curves
POINT: The YC is easy to understand At maturities of <= 3 yrs inflation forecasting performance is good Useful pedagogical device to understanding central bank policies Helps to understand debt management COUNTERPOINT: LT and ST bonds are not good substitutes Transactions costs can be significant Empirical evidence for EH weakest for US POINT-COUNTERPOINT 7.1: The Information Content in Yield Curves
POINT: The YC is easy to understand At maturities of <= 3 yrs inflation forecasting performance is good Useful pedagogical device to understanding central bank policies Helps to understand debt management COUNTERPOINT: LT and ST bonds are not good substitutes Transactions costs can be significant Empirical evidence for EH weakest for US Ignores many other factors that determine yields over time POINT-COUNTERPOINT 7.1: The Information Content in Yield Curves
Competing Explanations of the Term Structure • The Liquidity Premium theory: Holding longer term bonds in inherently riskier because the market is thinner
Competing Explanations of the Term Structure • The Liquidity Premium theory: Holding longer term bonds in inherently riskier because the market is thinner • The Market Segmentation theory: Short-term and long-term markets are separate
Competing Explanations of the Term Structure • The Liquidity Premium theory: Holding longer term bonds in inherently riskier because the market is thinner • The Market Segmentation theory: Short-term and long-term markets are separate • The Preferred-Habitat theory: there is limited substitutability between short-term and long-term bonds
Figure 7.7: Interest rates and the maturity structure of government of Canada debt
Summary • The term structure of interest rates explains why interest rates differ when their term to maturity differs
Summary • The term structure of interest rates explains why interest rates differ when their term to maturity differs • The expectations hypothesis predicts that long term rates are averages of expected short-term rates
Summary • The term structure of interest rates explains why interest rates differ when their term to maturity differs • The expectations hypothesis predicts that long term rates are averages of expected short-term rates • Despite the appeal of the expectations hypothesis there are “puzzles” in the behaviour of the yield curve