Monetary Policy Alternatives at the Zero Bound


Book Description

The success over the years in reducing inflation and, consequently, the average level of nominal interest rates has increased the likelihood that the nominal policy interest rate may become constrained by the zero lower bound. When that happens, a central bank can no longer stimulate aggregate demand by further interest-rate reductions and must rely on "non-standard" policy alternatives. To assess the potential effectiveness of such policies, we analyze the behavior of selected asset prices over short periods surrounding central bank statements or other types of financial or economic news and estimate "noarbitrage" models of the term structure for the United States and Japan. There is some evidence that central bank communications can help to shape public expectations of future policy actions and that asset purchases in large volume by a central bank would be able to affect the price or yield of the targeted asset.




What Happens During Recessions, Crunches and Busts?


Book Description

We provide a comprehensive empirical characterization of the linkages between key macroeconomic and financial variables around business and financial cycles for 21 OECD countries over the period 1960–2007. In particular, we analyze the implications of 122 recessions, 112 (28) credit contraction (crunch) episodes, 114 (28) episodes of house price declines (busts), 234 (58) episodes of equity price declines (busts) and their various overlaps in these countries over the sample period. Our results indicate that interactions between macroeconomic and financial variables can play major roles in determining the severity and duration of recessions. Specifically, we find evidence that recessions associated with credit crunches and house price busts tend to be deeper and longer than other recessions. JEL Classification Numbers: E32; E44; E51; F42







The Yield Curve and Financial Risk Premia


Book Description

The determinants of yield curve dynamics have been thoroughly discussed in finance models. However, little can be said about the macroeconomic factors behind the movements of short- and long-term interest rates as well as the risk compensation demanded by financial investors. By taking on a macro-finance perspective, the book’s approach explicitly acknowledges the close feedback between monetary policy, the macroeconomy and financial conditions. Both theoretical and empirical models are applied in order to get a profound understanding of the interlinkages between economic activity, the conduct of monetary policy and the underlying macroeconomic factors of bond price movements. Moreover, the book identifies a broad risk-taking channel of monetary transmission which allows a reassessment of the role of financial constraints; it enables policy makers to develop new guidelines for monetary policy and for financial supervision of how to cope with evolving financial imbalances.




Theory of Valuation


Book Description

Major themes in theoretical financial economics since 1973 are presented through reprinted articles, each followed by a substantial essay by a leading scholar in the field. These original papers were written expressly for these volumes and provide a critical discussion and overview of the topic. The books thus present a broad spectrum of viewpoints with an emphasis on the work on valuation, economics of uncertainty, and taxation which pertains to the problems of financial markets and corporations.




Bayesian Multivariate Time Series Methods for Empirical Macroeconomics


Book Description

Bayesian Multivariate Time Series Methods for Empirical Macroeconomics provides a survey of the Bayesian methods used in modern empirical macroeconomics. These models have been developed to address the fact that most questions of interest to empirical macroeconomists involve several variables and must be addressed using multivariate time series methods. Many different multivariate time series models have been used in macroeconomics, but Vector Autoregressive (VAR) models have been among the most popular. Bayesian Multivariate Time Series Methods for Empirical Macroeconomics reviews and extends the Bayesian literature on VARs, TVP-VARs and TVP-FAVARs with a focus on the practitioner. The authors go beyond simply defining each model, but specify how to use them in practice, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each and offer tips on when and why each model can be used.




Term Structure of Profit Rates of Sukuk


Book Description

This book explores several non-traditional and under-researched fields in Islamic finance through its investigations into how the newly-emergent financial instrument Sukuk behaves in the broader field of finite-period financing and pricing in the market place. It provides readers with didactic information on the fundamental theories of term structure and in-depth information on this nascent financial instrument in the Islamic capital market. The book employs one and two-factor models of term structure in order to analyse sovereign and corporate Sukuk bonds from the world’s leading Islamic economy, Malaysia. For the purposes of the study, the book establishes “profit rate yield curves” in the tradition of the conventional bond yield curve in order to define different risk classes of Sukuk. The dynamics of term structure of profit rates are captured with the inclusion of volatility as a factor in one of the models. The book provides informative case studies for interested students and researchers in the field of financial economics and mathematical finance. It also provides examples that will serve to simplify future research in term structure analysis and reduce its computational inefficiency.







Financial Economics and Econometrics


Book Description

Financial Economics and Econometrics provides an overview of the core topics in theoretical and empirical finance, with an emphasis on applications and interpreting results. Structured in five parts, the book covers financial data and univariate models; asset returns; interest rates, yields and spreads; volatility and correlation; and corporate finance and policy. Each chapter begins with a theory in financial economics, followed by econometric methodologies which have been used to explore the theory. Next, the chapter presents empirical evidence and discusses seminal papers on the topic. Boxes offer insights on how an idea can be applied to other disciplines such as management, marketing and medicine, showing the relevance of the material beyond finance. Readers are supported with plenty of worked examples and intuitive explanations throughout the book, while key takeaways, ‘test your knowledge’ and ‘test your intuition’ features at the end of each chapter also aid student learning. Digital supplements including PowerPoint slides, computer codes supplements, an Instructor’s Manual and Solutions Manual are available for instructors. This textbook is suitable for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses on financial economics, financial econometrics, empirical finance and related quantitative areas.




Theory Of Valuation (2nd Edition)


Book Description

The first edition of Theory of Valuation is a collection of important papers in the field of theoretical financial economics published from 1973 to 1986, and original accompanying essays contributed by eminent researchers including Robert C Merton, Edward C Prescott, Stephen A Ross, and Joseph E Stiglitz.Since then, with the perspective of major theoretical strides in the field, the book has more than fulfilled its original expectations. The realization that it remains today a compendium of classic articles and a must-read for any serious student in theoretical financial economics, has prompted the publication of a new edition.This second edition presents a summary statement of significant research in theoretical financial economics for both the specialist and non-specialist financial economist. It also provides material for PhD-level courses covering valuation theory, and elective reading for advanced Master's and undergraduate courses.In addition to reproducing the original contributions, this edition includes the seminal paper by Edward C Prescott and Rajnish Mehra, “Recursive Competitive Equilibrium: The Case of Homogeneous Households,” originally published in Econometrica in 1980.