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Consumption Spending and the Paper-Bill Spread: Theory and Evidence

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  • Weber, Christian E

Abstract

This paper explains recent findings that the paper-bill spread helps forecast consumption spending using an intertemporal optimizing model of consumption and portfolio allocation. The spread is simply the opportunity cost in terms of foregone future consumption of holding government debt rather than higher yielding private debt. Thus, if government debt appears along with consumption in the single period utility function, the spread appears in one of the Euler equations for consumption and asset accumulation. Empirical tests strongly support the model. Finally, including the spread in a rule of thumb model of consumption reduces the importance of nonoptimizing behavior. Copyright 1998 by Oxford University Press.

Suggested Citation

  • Weber, Christian E, 1998. "Consumption Spending and the Paper-Bill Spread: Theory and Evidence," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 36(4), pages 575-589, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:ecinqu:v:36:y:1998:i:4:p:575-89
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    Cited by:

    1. Athanasopoulos, George & de Carvalho Guillén, Osmani Teixeira & Issler, João Victor & Vahid, Farshid, 2011. "Model selection, estimation and forecasting in VAR models with short-run and long-run restrictions," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 164(1), pages 116-129, September.
    2. Ayelen Banegas, 2016. "Predictability of Growth in Emerging Markets: Information in Financial Aggregates," International Finance Discussion Papers 1174, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    3. Tomas Havranek & Anna Sokolova, 2016. "Do Consumers Really Follow a Rule of Thumb? Three Thousand Estimates from 130 Studies Say "Probably Not"," Working Papers 2016/08, Czech National Bank.
    4. Gomes, Fábio Augusto Reis & Issler, João Victor, 2017. "Testing Consumption Optimality Using Aggregate Data," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 21(5), pages 1119-1140, July.
    5. Weber, Christian E., 2002. "Intertemporal non-separability and "rule of thumb" consumption," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(2), pages 293-308, March.
    6. Ewing, Bradley T. & Lynch, Gerald J. & Payne, James E., 2003. "The paper-bill spread and real output: what matters more, a change in the paper rate or a change in the bill rate?," Review of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(3), pages 233-246.
    7. Gomes, Fábio Augusto Reis & Issler, João Victor, 2009. "Testing the optimality of aggregate consumption decisions: is there rule-of-thumb behavior?," FGV EPGE Economics Working Papers (Ensaios Economicos da EPGE) 682, EPGE Brazilian School of Economics and Finance - FGV EPGE (Brazil).
    8. Malik, Farooq & Ewing, Bradley T. & Kruse, Jamie B. & Lynch, Gerald J., 2009. "Modeling the time-varying volatility of the paper-bill spread," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 61(5), pages 404-414, September.

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