Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T22:54:19.207Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

A yield-only model for the term structure of interest rates

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 November 2013

Şule Şahin*
Affiliation:
Department of Actuarial Sciences, Hacettepe University, Ankara, TURKEY
Andrew J.G. Cairns
Affiliation:
Department of Actuarial Mathematics and Statistics, Heriot-Watt University and Maxwell Institute, Edinburgh, UK
Torsten Kleinow
Affiliation:
Department of Actuarial Mathematics and Statistics, Heriot-Watt University and Maxwell Institute, Edinburgh, UK
A. David Wilkie
Affiliation:
Department of Actuarial Mathematics and Statistics, Heriot-Watt University and Maxwell Institute, Edinburgh, UK
*
*Correspondence to: Şule Şahin, Department of Actuarial Sciences, Hacettepe University, Ankara, TURKEY. E-mail: sule@hacettepe.edu.tr

Abstract

This paper develops a term structure model for the UK nominal, real and implied inflation spot zero-coupon rates simultaneously. We start with fitting a descriptive yield curve model proposed by Cairns (1998) to fill the missing values for certain given days at certain maturities in the yield curve data provided by the Bank of England. We compare four different fixed ‘exponential rate’ parameter sets and decide the set of parameters which fits the data best. With the chosen set of parameters we fit the Cairns model to the daily values of the term structures. By applying principal component analysis on the hybrid data (Bank of England data and fitted spot rates for the missing values) we find three principal components, which can be described as ‘level’, ‘slope’ and ‘curvature’, for each of these series. We explore the relation between these principal components to construct a ‘yield-only’ model for actuarial applications. Main contribution of this paper is that the models developed in the paper enable the practitioners to forecast three term structures simultaneously and it also provides the forecast for whole term structures rather than just short and long end of the yield curves.

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Institute and Faculty of Actuaries 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anderson, N., Sleath, J. (1999). New estimates of the UK real and nominal yield curves. Bank of England Quarterly Bulletin.Google Scholar
Anderson, N., Sleath, J. (2001). New estimates of the UK real and nominal yield curves. Bank of England Working Paper, 126.Google Scholar
Ang, A., Piazzesi, M. (2003). A no-arbitrage vector autoregression of term structure dynamics with macroeconomic and latent variables. Journal of Monetary Economics, 50, 745787.Google Scholar
Ang, A., Piazzesi, M., Wei, M. (2006). What does the Yield Curve Tell us about GDP Growth? Journal of Econometrics, 131, 359403.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ang, A., Bekaert, G. 2003. The Term structure of Real Rates and Expected Inflation. Columbia University and NBER Working Paper, 12930.Google Scholar
Ang, A., Bekaert, G., Wei, M. (2008). The Term Structure of Real Rates and Expected Inflation. Journal of Finance, 63(2), 797849.Google Scholar
Bank of England (2002). Notes on the Bank of England UK Yield Curves.Google Scholar
Cairns, A.J.G. (1998). Descriptive Bond Yield and Forward-Rate Models for the British Government Securities’ Market. British Actuarial Journal, 4(2), 265321 and 350–383.Google Scholar
Cairns, A.J.G., Pritchard, D.J. (2001). Stability of descriptive models for the term structure of interest rates with application to German market data. British Actuarial Journal, 7, 467507.Google Scholar
Cairns, A.J.G. (2004). Interest Rate Models: An Introduction. Princton University Press.Google Scholar
Chatfield, C. (2004). The Analysis of Time Series: An Introduction. Chapman & Hall/CRC.Google Scholar
Clarkson, R.S. (1979). A mathematical model for the gilt-edged market. Journal of the Institute of Actuaries, 106, 85132.Google Scholar
Dai, Q., Philippon, T. (2005). Government Deficits and Interest Rates: A No-Arbitrage Structural VAR Approach. New York University Working Paper.Google Scholar
Dewachter, H., Lyrio, M. (2006). Macro Factors and the Term Structure of Interest Rates. Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, 38(1), 119140.Google Scholar
Diebold, F.X., Li, C. (2006). Forecasting the Term Structure of Government Bond Yields. Journal of Econometrics, 130, 337364.Google Scholar
Diebold, F.X., Li, C., Yue, V.Z. (2008). Global Yield Curve Dynamics and Interactions: A Dynamic Nelson-Siegel Approach. Journal of Econometrics, 146, 351363.Google Scholar
Diebold, F.X., Rudebusch, G.D., Aruoba, S.B. (2006). The Macroeconomy and the Yield Curve: A Dynamic Latent Factor Approach. Journal of Econometrics, 131, 309338.Google Scholar
Diebold, F.X., Piazzesi, M., Rudebusch, G.D. (2004). Modelling Bond Yields in Finance and Macroeconomics. American Economic Review Papers and Proceedings.Google Scholar
Dobbie, G.M., Wilkie, A.D. (1978). The FT-Actuaries Fixed Interest Indices. Journal of the Institute of Actuaries, 105, 1527.Google Scholar
Evans, C.L., Marshall, D. (1998). Monetary Policy and the Term Structure of Nominal Interest Rates: Evidence and Theory. Carnegie-Rochester Conference Series on Public Policy, 49, 53111.Google Scholar
Evans, C.L., Marshall, D. (2001). Economic Determinants of the Nominal Treasury Yield Curve. FRB of Chicago Working Paper, 16.Google Scholar
Homer, S., Sylla, R.R. (1963). A History of Interest Rates: 200 B.C. to the Present. Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick.Google Scholar
Hördahl, P., Tristani, O., Vestin, D. (2006). A Joint Econometric Model of Macroeconomic and Term Structure Dynamics. Journal of Econometrics, 131(1–2), 405444.Google Scholar
Kaminska, I. (2008). A No-Arbitrage Structural Vector Autoregressive Model of the UK Yield Curve. Bank of England Working Paper, 357.Google Scholar
Kozicki, S., Tinsley, P.A. (2001). Shifting Endpoints in the Term Structure of Interest Rates. Journal of Monetary Economics, 47, 613652.Google Scholar
Lildholdt, P., Panigirtzoglou, N., Peacock, C. (2007). An-Affine Macro-Factor Model of the UK Yield Curve. Bank of England Working Paper, 322.Google Scholar
Litterman, R., Scheinkman, J. (1991). Common Factors Affecting Bond Returns. Journal of Fixed Income, 5461.Google Scholar
Rudebusch, G.D., Wu, T. (2008). A Macro-Finance Model of the Term Structure, Monetary Policy and the Economy. Economic Journal, 118, 906926.Google Scholar
Sahin, S. (2010). Stochastic Investment Models for Actuarial Use in the UK. PhD Thesis, Heriot-Watt Univeristy.Google Scholar
Wu, T. (2002). Monetary Policy and the Slope Factors in Empirical Term Structure Estimations. Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco Working Paper 2002–07.Google Scholar