We present a tentative estimate of a common risk free rate for the European Monetary Union countries from January 2004 to December 2010 using variables motivated by a theoretical portfolio selection model. In a first stage, we analyze the determinants of EMU sovereign yield spreads and find...

We propose a common European bond which would yield a common European Monetary Union risk free rate. We present a tentative estimate of this common risk free for the European Monetary Union countries from January 2004 to December 2010 using variables motivated by a theoretical portfolio...

Collateral plays a very important role in financial markets. Without easy access to high-quality collateral, dealers and market participants would find it more costly to trade, with a negative impact on market liquidity and the real economy through increased financing costs. The role of...

We study how monetary policy affects local market competition in a union of countries experiencing different economic conditions: the euro area. We find that when monetary conditions tighten (loosen), from the point of view of an individual economy, market concentration increases (declines)....

This paper examines the dynamics of euro-denominated (EUR) long-term interest rate swap yields. It shows that the short-term interest rate has an economically and statistically significant effect on EUR swap yields of different maturity tenors, after controlling for various key macroeconomic...

Banks have always played an ambivalent role in financial markets. On the one hand, they provide essential services for the market; on the other hand, problems in the banking sector can send shock waves through the entire economy. Given this prominent role, it is not surprising that Pereira and...