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Revisiting the expectations hypothesis of the term structure of interest rates

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  • Bulkley, George
  • Harris, Richard D.F.
  • Nawosah, Vivekanand

Abstract

The expectations hypothesis of the term structure has been decisively rejected in a large empirical literature that spans several decades. In this paper, using a newly constructed dataset of synthetic zero-coupon bond yields, we show that evidence against the expectations hypothesis is substantially weaker in data generated after the widespread publicity of its failure. These results are consistent with the idea that asset pricing anomalies tend to disappear once they are widely recognized.

Suggested Citation

  • Bulkley, George & Harris, Richard D.F. & Nawosah, Vivekanand, 2011. "Revisiting the expectations hypothesis of the term structure of interest rates," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 35(5), pages 1202-1212, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbfina:v:35:y:2011:i:5:p:1202-1212
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    Cited by:

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    2. Bulkley, George & Harris, Richard D.F. & Nawosah, Vivekanand, 2015. "Can behavioral biases explain the rejections of the expectation hypothesis of the term structure of interest rates?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 179-193.
    3. Koziol, Philipp, 2014. "Inflation and interest rate derivatives for FX risk management: Implications for exporting firms under real wealth," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(4), pages 459-472.
    4. Seth Armitage & Janusz Brzeszczynski, 2010. "Forecasting UK Inflation: An Empirical AnalysisÂ," CFI Discussion Papers 1002, Centre for Finance and Investment, Heriot Watt University.
    5. Jitmaneeroj, Boonlert & Wood, Andrew, 2013. "The expectations hypothesis: New hope or illusory support?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 1084-1092.
    6. Harrathi Nizar & Alhoshan Hamed M., 2020. "Validity of the Expectations Hypothesis of the Term Structure of Interest Rates: The Case of Saudi Arabia," Review of Middle East Economics and Finance, De Gruyter, vol. 16(1), pages 1-18, April.
    7. Vides, José Carlos & Golpe, Antonio A. & Iglesias, Jesús, 2021. "The impact of the term spread in US monetary policy from 1870 to 2013," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 230-251.
    8. Pawel Milobedzki, 2012. "The Expectations Hypothesis of the Term Structure of LIBOR US Dollar Interest Rates," Dynamic Econometric Models, Uniwersytet Mikolaja Kopernika, vol. 12, pages 5-18.
    9. Nicholas Addai Boamah, 2016. "Testing the expectations hypothesis of the term structure of interest rate: the case of Ghana," Journal of African Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(1), pages 1-15, January.
    10. Vides, José Carlos & Golpe, Antonio A. & Iglesias, Jesús, 2020. "The EHTS and the persistence in the spread reconsidered. A fractional cointegration approach," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 124-137.

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