Do more active hedge fund managers generate higher returns than their less active peers? We attempt to answer this question. Using Kalman Filter techniques, we estimate the risk exposure dynamics of a large sample of live and dead equity long-short hedge funds. These estimates are then used to...

This paper attempts to evaluate the effects of fiscal policy announcements by the Italian government on the long-term sovereign bond spread of Italy relative to Germany. After collecting data on relevant fiscal policy announcements, we perform an econometric comparative analysis between the...

This study, based on a search model, attempts to draw out the implications for discussions about reference rates that originated from the recent Libor manipulation scandal, with particular focus on whether the calculation of reference rates should be based solely on actual transaction data and...

This paper provides an empirical investigation of monetary policy in Japan in the zero interest rate environment that has held sway since 1999. In particular, we focus on the effects of the zero interest rate commitment and of quantitative monetary easing on medium- to long-term interest rates...

This paper analyzes the Japanese government bond (JGB) yield curve using the Black-Gorovoi-Linetsky (BGL) model of interest rates as options with a view to monitoring the JGB market expectations about the Bank of Japan's (BOJ) zero interest rate policy (ZIRP). Main findings are as follows....

Using term structure data of Credit Default Swap (CDS) spreads for the four Japanese mega-banks and the government, we jointly estimate the default intensity and expected recovery (loss) given a default. In doing so, we attempt to further identify the difference in the expected recovery ratios...

We study the term structure of interest rates and monetary policy in Japan empirically, using a macro-finance model. In particular, we investigate whether or not Japan's low long-term interest rates can be explained with economic rationality by taking into account some key features of the...

Equilibrium nominal interest rates are useful indicators for both monetary policy authorities and market players. However, there are few studies which estimate Japan's equilibrium rate because of its persistent low interest rate. We overcome this challenge by using survey forecasts of interest...

This paper investigates (i) what has determined the land investment behavior of Japanese firms since the latter half of the 1980s; and (ii) how the current market prices of their land assets diverge from their shadow prices (marginal values of land investment). To do so, we estimate nonlinear...