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Who Should Buy Long-Term Bonds?

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Author Info
John Y. Campbell
Luis M. Viceira

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Abstract

According to conventional wisdom, long-term bonds are appropriate for conservative long-term investors. This paper develops a model of optimal consumption and portfolio choice for infinite-lived investors with recursive utility who face stochastic interest rates, solves the model using an approximate analytical method, and evaluates the conventional wisdom. As risk aversion increases, the myopic component of risky asset demand disappears but the intertemporal hedging component does not. Conservative investors hold assets to hedge the risk that real interest rates will decline. Long-term inflation-indexed bonds are most suitable for this purpose, but nominal bonds may also be used if inflation risk is low.

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Paper provided by Harvard - Institute of Economic Research in its series Harvard Institute of Economic Research Working Papers with number 1895.

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Date of creation: 2000
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Handle: RePEc:fth:harver:1895

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  16. Campbell, John Y. & Koo, Hyeng Keun, 1997. "A comparison of numerical and analytic approximate solutions to an intertemporal consumption choice problem," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 21(2-3), pages 273-295. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  39. Luis M. Viceira, 1999. "Optimal Portfolio Choice for Long-Horizon Investors with Nontradable Labor Income," NBER Working Papers 7409, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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