Asymmetry in government bond returns

Ippei Fujiwara, Lena Mareen Körber and Daisuke Nagakura
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Lena Boneva

Journal of Banking & Finance, 2013, vol. 37, issue 8, 3218-3226

Abstract: Is there asymmetry in the distribution of government bond returns in developed countries? Can asymmetries be predicted using financial and macroeconomic variables? To answer the first question, we provide evidence for asymmetry in government bond returns in particular for short maturities. This finding has important implications for modeling and forecasting government bond returns. For example, widely used models for yield curve analysis such as the affine term structure model assume symmetrically distributed innovations. To answer the second question, we find that liquidity in government bond markets predicts the coefficient of skewness with a positive sign, meaning that the probability of a large and negative excess return is more likely in a less liquid market. In addition, a positive realized return is associated with a negative coefficient of skewness, or a small probability of a large and negative return in the future.

Keywords: Government bond returns; Skewness; Conditional symmetry test (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: E43 G10 G12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Asymmetry in government bond returns (2013)
Working Paper: Asymmetry in Government Bond Returns (2013)
Working Paper: Asymmetry in Government Bond Returns (2013)
Working Paper: Asymmetry in Government Bond Returns (2013)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jbfina:v:37:y:2013:i:8:p:3218-3226

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbankfin.2013.03.002

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