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Does the yield spread predict recessions in the euro area?

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  • Moneta, Fabio

Abstract

This paper studies the informational content of the slope of the yield curve as a predictor of recessions in the euro area. In particu-lar, the historical predictive power of ten yield spreads, for di®erent segments of the yield curve, is tested using a probit model. The yield spread between the ten-year government bond rate and the three-month interbank rate outperforms all the other spreads in predicting recessions in the euro area. The result is con¯rmed when the au-toregressive series of the state of the economy is added in the same model. The forecast accuracy of the spread between 10-year and 3-month interest rates is explored in an exercise of out-of-sample forecasting. This yield spread appears to contain information which goes beyond the information already available in the history of output, providing further evidence of the potential usefulness of this indicator for mon-etary policy purposes. JEL Classification: E44, E52, C53

Suggested Citation

  • Moneta, Fabio, 2003. "Does the yield spread predict recessions in the euro area?," Working Paper Series 294, European Central Bank.
  • Handle: RePEc:ecb:ecbwps:2003294
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    1. Layton, Allan P. & Katsuura, Masaki, 2001. "Comparison of regime switching, probit and logit models in dating and forecasting US business cycles," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 403-417.
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    Cited by:

    1. Fernando Garcia Alvarado, 2022. "Detecting crisis vulnerability using yield spread interconnectedness," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(4), pages 3864-3880, October.
    2. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/6156 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Duarte, Agustin & Venetis, Ioannis A. & Paya, Ivan, 2005. "Predicting real growth and the probability of recession in the Euro area using the yield spread," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 261-277.
    4. Christophe Blot & Grégory Levieuge, 2008. "Are MCIs Good Indicators of Economic Activity ? Evidence from the G7 Countries," Working Papers hal-00973056, HAL.
    5. Pederzoli, Chiara & Torricelli, Costanza, 2005. "Capital requirements and business cycle regimes: Forward-looking modelling of default probabilities," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 29(12), pages 3121-3140, December.
    6. Menzie Chinn & Kavan Kucko, 2015. "The Predictive Power of the Yield Curve Across Countries and Time," International Finance, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(2), pages 129-156, June.
    7. Galvao, Ana Beatriz & Costa, Sonia, 2013. "Does the euro area forward rate provide accurate forecasts of the short rate?," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 131-141.
    8. repec:hal:wpspec:info:hdl:2441/6156 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Andersson, Magnus & D'Agostino, Antonello, 2008. "Are sectoral stock prices useful for predicting euro area GDP?," Research Technical Papers 2/RT/08, Central Bank of Ireland.
    10. Ferreira García, María Eva & Martínez, María Isabel & Navarro, Eliseo & Rubio Irigoyen, Gonzalo, 2005. "Consumer Confidence and Yield Spreads in Europe," DFAEII Working Papers 1988-088X, University of the Basque Country - Department of Foundations of Economic Analysis II.
    11. Ferdi Botha & Gavin Keeton, 2014. "A Note on the (Continued) Ability of the Yield Curve to Forecast Economic Downturns in South Africa," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 82(3), pages 468-473, September.
    12. Gerit Vogt, 2009. "Konjunkturprognose in Deutschland. Ein Beitrag zur Prognose der gesamtwirtschaftlichen Entwicklung auf Bundes- und Länderebene," ifo Beiträge zur Wirtschaftsforschung, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 36.
    13. Nissilä, Wilma, 2020. "Probit based time series models in recession forecasting – A survey with an empirical illustration for Finland," BoF Economics Review 7/2020, Bank of Finland.
    14. Christophe Blot & Grégory Levieuge, 2008. "Are MCls Good Indicators of Countries Economic Activity ? Evidence from the G7 Countries," Post-Print halshs-00258303, HAL.
    15. Melvin Muzi Khomo & Meshach Jesse Aziakpono, 2007. "Forecasting Recession In South Africa: A Comparison Of The Yield Curve And Other Economic Indicators," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 75(2), pages 194-212, June.
    16. Vladimir Dubrovskiy & Inna Golodniuk & Janusz Szyrmer, 2009. "Composite Leading Indicators for Ukraine: An Early Warning Model," CASE Network Reports 0085, CASE-Center for Social and Economic Research.
    17. Gerit Vogt, 2004. "Prognose von Umsatz und Bruttowertschöpfung des verarbeitenden Gewerbes in Sachsen für das Jahr 2004 (Prognose der Bruttowertschöpfung des sächsischen verarbeitenden Gewerbes 2004)," ifo Dresden berichtet, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 11(04), pages 23-30, August.
    18. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/6156 is not listed on IDEAS
    19. Ascari, Guido & Rankin, Neil, 2007. "Perpetual youth and endogenous labor supply: A problem and a possible solution," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 29(4), pages 708-723, December.
    20. Marianna Brunetti & Costanza Torricelli, 2009. "Economic activity and recession probabilities: information content and predictive power of the term spread in Italy," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(18), pages 2309-2322.
    21. repec:spo:wpecon:info:hdl:2441/6156 is not listed on IDEAS
    22. Benjamin Ford & Karen Taylor, 2005. "Recent developments in Australian bond yields," Economic Roundup, The Treasury, Australian Government, issue 4, pages 111-120, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    forecasting; probit model; recessions; yield curve;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E44 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Financial Markets and the Macroeconomy
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • C53 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Forecasting and Prediction Models; Simulation Methods

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