Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Series: Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers Creation-Date: 1999-04-14 Number: 99-027/4 Author-Name: Patrick Houweling Author-Workplace-Name: Erasmus University Rotterdam Author-Name: Jaap Hoek Author-Workplace-Name: Robeco Group Author-Name: Frank Kleibergen Author-Email: f.r.kleibergen@uva.nl Author-Workplace-Name: Erasmus University Rotterdam Title: The Joint Estimation of Term Structures and Credit Spreads Abstract: We present a new framework for the joint estimation of the default-free government term structure and corporate credit spread curves. By using a data set of liquid, German mark denominated bonds, we show that this yields more realistic spreads than traditionally obtained spread curves that result from subtracting independently estimated government and corporate term structures. The obtained spread curves are smooth functions of time to maturity, as opposed to the twisting curves one gets from the traditional method, and are less sensitive to model specifications. To determine the ‘optimal’ model specification, we use a newly developed test statistic that compares spread curves from competing models.

This discussion paper has resulted in a publication in the Journal of Empirical Finance, 2001, 8(3), 297-323. Classification-JEL: G12; G13; C13 Keywords: Term structure estimation; Credit spreads; Corporate bonds; Splines File-Url: https://papers.tinbergen.nl/99027.pdf File-Format: application/pdf File-Size: 417396 bytes Handle: RePEc:tin:wpaper:19990027