Do Bonds Span Volatility Risk in the U.S. Treasury Market? A Specification Test for Affine Term Structure Models

Torben Andersen and Luca Benzoni

Journal of Finance, 2010, vol. 65, issue 2, 603-653

Abstract: We propose using model‐free yield quadratic variation measures computed from intraday data as a tool for specification testing and selection of dynamic term structure models. We find that the yield curve fails to span realized yield volatility in the U.S. Treasury market, as the systematic volatility factors are largely unrelated to the cross‐section of yields. We conclude that a broad class of affine diffusive, quadratic Gaussian, and affine jump‐diffusive models cannot accommodate the observed yield volatility dynamics. Hence, the Treasury market per se is incomplete, as yield volatility risk cannot be hedged solely through Treasury securities.

Date: 2010
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (47)

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https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6261.2009.01546.x

Related works:
Working Paper: Do Bonds Span Volatility Risk in the U.S. Treasury Market? A Specification Test for Affine Term Structure Models (2007)
Working Paper: Do Bonds Span Volatility Risk in the U.S. Treasury Market? A Specification test for Affine Term Structure Models (2007)
Working Paper: Do bonds span volatility risk in the U.S. Treasury market? a specification test for affine term structure models (2006)
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