Conventional approaches to examining the expectation hypothesis of interest rates assume a parametric linear specification among variables. In contrast, this paper tests the hypothesis using a flexible nonlinear inference approach proposed by Hamilton (2001). We examine the impact of the...

This paper evaluates the robustness of UK bond term premia from affine term structure models. We show that this approach is able to match standard specification tests. In addition, term premia display countercyclical behaviour and are positively related to uncertainty about future inflation,...

Using a unique data set of individual professional forecasts, we document disagreement about the future path of monetary policy, particularly at longer horizons. The stark differences in short rate forecasts imply strong disagreement about the risk-return trade-off of longer-term bonds....

The no-arbitrage affine Gaussian term structure model is used for analyzing the impact of macroeconomic surprises on the nominal and the real term structure, in the euro area and in the United States. We find that nominal rates are impacted by surprises on economic growth, labour market and...

This study aims to verify whether there are any macroeconomic variables that have significant power in predicting the dynamics of financial markets. In particular, we want to identify an econometric model that can guide the strategies of operators in building their investment portfolios. The...

We examine the predictive power of the CDS-bond basis for future corporate bond returns. We find that residual basis, the part of the CDS-bond basis that cannot be explained by a wide range of market frictions such as counterparty risk, funding risk, and liquidity risk, strongly negatively...

During the global financial crisis, stressed market conditions led to skyrocketing corporate bond spreads that could not be explained by conventional modeling approaches. This paper builds on this observation and sheds light on time-variations in the relationship between systematic risk factors...

The shape of the VIX term structure conveys information about the price of variance risk rather than expected changes in the VIX, a rejection of the expectations hypothesis. A single principal component, Slope, summarizes nearly all this information, predicting the excess returns of S&P 500...

I document that the term structure of one-period expected returns on dividend-claims is counter-cyclical: it is downward sloping in good times, but upward sloping in bad times. The counter-cyclical variation is consistent with theories of long-run risk and habit, but these theories cannot...

In this study, we comprehensively examine the volatility term structures in commodity markets. We model state-dependent spillovers in principal components (PCs) of the volatility term structures of different commodities, as well as that of the equity market. We detect strong economic links and a...