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Predicting Interwar Business Cycles with the Interest Rate Yield Spread

Author

Listed:
  • James L. Butkiewicz
  • Kim Lane Leong Long

    (Department of Economics, University of Delaware)

Abstract

Recent studies have demonstrated the ability of the interest rate yield spread to predict post-war business cycles. This same methodology is applied to the prediction of interwar business cycles in the United States and the United Kingdom. The spread predicts the early interwar cycles, although the lag in the United States is variable. The spread fails to provide a prediction of the 1937-1938 recession and the length of the depression in either country. Neither spread improves the recession forecast for the other country.

Suggested Citation

  • James L. Butkiewicz & Kim Lane Leong Long, 2003. "Predicting Interwar Business Cycles with the Interest Rate Yield Spread," Working Papers 03-07, University of Delaware, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:dlw:wpaper:03-07
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Business Cycles; Yield Spread; Great Depression;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J10 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - General
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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