Interest Rates and Credit Spread Dynamics

Abstract

This paper uses cointegration to model the time-series of corporate and government bond rates. We show that corporate rates are cointegrated with government rates and the relation between credit spreads and Treasury rates depends on the time horizon. In the short-run, an increase in Treasury rates causes credit spreads to narrow. This effect is reversed over the long-run and higher rates cause spreads to widen. These results imply a dynamic process for credit spreads that is not captured in existing models for pricing corporate bonds or measuring their interest rate sensitivity.

Note: Previously titled "Credit Spreads and Interest Rates: A Cointegration Approach"