Cracking the Conundrum

David K. Backus, Jonathan H. Wright

NBER Working Paper No. 13419
Issued in September 2007
NBER Program(s):   AP    ME

---- Abstract -----

From 2004 to 2006, the FOMC raised the target federal funds rate by 4.25%, yet long-maturity yields and forward rates fell. We consider several possible explanations for this "conundrum." The most likely, in our view, is a fall in the term premium, probably associated with some combination of diminished macroeconomic and financial market volatility, more predictable monetary policy, and the state of the business cycle.

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