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The Fisher Hypothesis and Its Implications for Defined Benefits

  • Andrew P. Leung EMAIL logo
Published/Copyright: January 30, 2015

Abstract

Asset liability management is often employed for managing the risks associated with defined benefits. Liability Driven Investment is a recent phenomenon in financial circles, promising a coherent framework for achieving this aim. It has been focused on managing interest rate risks by appropriate debt strategies. However the formulation of debt strategies needs to take explicit account of one characteristic that affects most liabilities, namely inflation. This factor generates as much risk as interest rates; moreover it is intimately related to them. We examine this issue in depth, and consider the economic relationships between interest rates and inflation. This is conducted in the light of the Fisher Hypothesis. We show that this analysis has significant implications for nominal debt strategies.

Appendix: estimation of error correcting model

Table 2:

Australia ECM

jαjγj
1–0.002–0.082
2–0.0010.006
Table 3:

Australia ECM

jβ1jβ2jβ3jβ4j
10.160–0.178–0.0700.027
2–0.1440.596–0.1650.389
30.0280.082–0.102–0.032
40.1720.1450.145–0.036
50.270–0.1060.068–0.014
60.471–0.5880.305–0.478
70.782–1.0600.507–0.534
80.056–0.2020.014–0.191
90.553–0.6550.0560.028
100.415–0.2810.226–0.212
110.3050.0140.0170.333
12–0.039–0.028–0.0240.003
13–0.2710.820–0.1540.314
140.438–0.5880.246–0.438
150.491–0.4610.308–0.384
160.226–0.3040.045–0.132
170.105–0.185–0.1180.024
Table 4:

US ECM

jαjγj
1–0.000–0.624
20.000–0.545
Table 5:

US ECM

jβ1jβ2jβ3jβ4j
01.0000.0000.0001.000
1–0.2450.121–0.3290.090
2–0.0480.391–0.3020.141
3–0.7820.239–0.5150.216
4–0.2340.691–0.3490.677
5–0.4400.529–0.1790.614
6–0.0050.6000.0970.141
7–0.2330.389–0.200–0.187
8–0.1200.352–0.7510.426
9–0.512–0.182–0.7060.734
10–0.4281.055–0.3370.695
11–0.1890.0760.007–0.106
12–0.0860.404–0.3140.398
13–0.422–0.012–0.5920.314
14–0.7340.884–0.3870.571
15–0.5120.505–0.132–0.045
16–0.2150.3510.260–0.039
17–0.2980.349–0.2670.365
18–0.2010.320–0.3170.052
19–0.2440.359–0.4280.283
200.088–0.129–0.135–0.057

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Published Online: 2015-1-30
Published in Print: 2015-1-1

©2015 by De Gruyter

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