In this paper we estimate and interpret the factors that jointly determine bond returns of different maturities in the US, Germany and Japan. We analyze both currency-hedged as well as unhedged bond returns. For currency-hedged bond returns, we find that five factors explain 96.5% of the...

Are yields of long-maturity bonds distorted by demand pressure of clientele investors, regulatory effects, or default, flight-to-safety or liquidity premiums? Using data on German nominal bonds between 2005 and 2015, we study the differential pricing and liquidity of short and long maturity...

We propose an easy to implement yield curve extrapolation method to determine long-term interest rates suitable for regulatory valuation. We empirically evaluate this approach for the German nominal bond market, by estimating the model on bonds with maturities up to 20 years and assessing the...

We study the importance of time-varying bond risk premia in a consumption and portfolio-choice problem for a life-cycle investor facing short-sales and borrowing constraints. Tilts in the optimal asset allocation in response to changes in bond risk premia exhibit pronounced life-cycle patterns....