Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou

Testing the stability of implied probability density functions

A card reader capable of automatically reading coded information from cards of at least two predetermined widths, the information being encoded in information fields that may vary in the length of columns and rows from card to card, such fields being referenced with respect to two predetermined orthogonal edges on each card. Movable stop fingers and a guiding edge facilitate aligned insertion of a card with respect to the two orthogonal edges. When a card is being advanced through the reader past a reading station, a circuit that is triggered by a column count wheel generates a signal each time that a column of information is in position to be read. This circuit is inhibited by switches that respond to cards of predetermined widths when the trailing edge of a card passes their position, the location of the switches having a predetermined relationship to the last line of coded information to be read on the individual type of card. The circuit can also be inhibited by a signal generated by an encoder upon its detection of an end of text code in the information field. The card reader is shut off at the end of each read cycle by an independent switch responsive to the trailing edge of all cards inserted into the reader.

Market Timing with Option-Implied Distributions: A Forward-Looking Approach

We address the empirical implementation of the static asset allocation problem by developing a forward-looking approach that uses information from market option prices. To this end, we extract constant maturity S&P 500 implied distributions and transform them to the corresponding risk-adjusted ones. Then we form optimal portfolios consisting of a risky and a risk-free asset and evaluate their out-of-sample performance. We find that the use of risk-adjusted implied distributions times the market and makes the investor better off than if she uses historical returns distributions to calculate her optimal strategy. The results hold under a number of evaluation metrics and utility functions and carry through even when transaction costs are taken into account. Not surprisingly, the reported market timing ability deteriorated during the recent subprime crisis. An extension of the approach to a dynamic asset allocation setting is also presented. n nThis paper was accepted by Wei Xiong, finance.

Persistence and Volatility in Short-term Interest Rates

It is important for monetary policy makers to know how closely money market rates follow the policy rates they set. This paper looks at the volatility and persistence of divergences between short-term market interest rates away from policy rates. This may also offer insights into the effectiveness of various approaches that central banks employ to smooth interest rate volatility, such as requiring minimum reserves. Using data for Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, it is found that in all three countries there are significant temporary divergences, although the average divergence is close to zero.

An Affine Macro-Factor Model of the UK Yield Curve

This paper estimates yield curve models for the United Kingdom, where the underlying determinants have a macroeconomic interpretation. The first factor is an unobserved inflation target, the second factor is annual inflation, and the third factor is a ‘Taylor rule residual’, which, among other things, captures the effects of the output gap and monetary policy surprises in the Taylor rule. We find that the long end of the yield curve is primarily driven by changes in the unobserved inflation target. At shorter maturities, yield curve movements reflect short-run inflation and the Taylor rule residual. For holding periods of one month, our preferred model implies that agents require compensation for risks associated with cyclical and inflation shocks but do not require compensation for shocks to the inflation target. For holding periods beyond one month, agents require compensation for all three sources of risks. Time series of risk premia on long forward rates from the preferred yield curve model have declined since the 1970s, which is consistent with perceptions of declining macroeconomic uncertainty or perhaps more efficient macroeconomic stabilisation policies. Model-implied risk premia at short maturities match up reasonably well with survey-based risk premia, which indicates that the model could be useful for the purpose of extracting market-based interest rate expectations.

Option-Implied Risk Aversion Estimates: Robustness and Patterns

Cross-sections of option prices embed the risk-neutral probability densities functions (PDFs) for the future values of the underlying asset. Theory suggests that risk-neutral PDFs differ from market expectations due to risk premia. Using a utility function to adjust the risk-neutral PDF to produce subjective PDFs, we can obtain measures of the risk aversion implied in option prices. Using FTSE 100 and S&P 500 options, and both power and exponential utility functions, we show that subjective PDFs accurately forecast the distribution of realizations, while risk-neutral PDFs do not. The estimated coefficients of relative risk aversion are all reasonable. The relative risk aversion estimates are remarkably consistent across utility functions and across markets for given horizons. The degree of relative risk aversion declines with the forecast horizon and is lower during periods of high market volatility.

Decomposing Credit Spreads

This paper investigates the information contained in the yields of corporate debt securities using a structural credit risk model. As previous studies have found, credit risk is not the only factor that affects corporate yield spreads. The aim is to decompose credit spreads, using a structural model of credit risk, into credit and non-credit risk components. The contribution relative to the existing literature is the use of contemporaneous forward-looking information on equity risk premia and equity value uncertainty in a structural model. In particular, implied equity risk premia from a three-stage dividend discount model that incorporates analysts long-term earnings forecasts are used, together with implied measures of equity value uncertainty from option prices. The paper examines the evolution of the different components of spreads across time as well as the effect of particular events. It also analyses the relationship between the derived components and other financial variables, such as swap spreads and the equity risk premium.