Time-Consistent No-Arbitrage Models of the Term Structure

48 Pages Posted: 27 Feb 2001

See all articles by Amir Yaron

Amir Yaron

University of Pennsylvania -- Wharton School of Business; Bank of Israel; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Michael W. Brandt

Duke University - Fuqua School of Business; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: February 2001

Abstract

We develop and empirically explore a model of the term structure that captures as well as possible the time-series dynamics of a set of state variables and fits exactly the date-to-date cross-sections of bond prices. We construct our model in two stages. In the first stage we use a flexible time-series model to describe the dynamics of the state variables. In the second stage, we infer for each date in the sample the pricing kernel from the term structure of interest rates using conditional moments implied by the restriction of no-arbitrage. We estimate a number of two-factor models for U.S. term structure data and use various in- and out-of-sample measures to evaluate the relative importance of well-specified factor dynamics and non-linearities in the pricing kernel. We find that both aspects are crucial for out-of-sample pricing. Specifically, our results lend support to quadratic term structure models.

Suggested Citation

Yaron, Amir and Yaron, Amir and Brandt, Michael W., Time-Consistent No-Arbitrage Models of the Term Structure (February 2001). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=261644 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.261644

Amir Yaron

University of Pennsylvania -- Wharton School of Business ( email )

The Wharton School
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Bank of Israel

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Israel

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) ( email )

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Michael W. Brandt (Contact Author)

Duke University - Fuqua School of Business ( email )

1 Towerview Drive
Durham, NC 27708-0120
United States

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

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