Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: Phaedrus; sourcery
This is the fundamental point and consistent with my earlier posts. If you do [disagree], please elucidate.

Your "fundamental point" now is not consistent with your earlier posts. You have altered your argument

from:
[over months, medium term] interest rates track exceedingly well [or nearly perfectly] to actual inflation alone. The 2 components, the "risk-free" rate and an "inflation premium" sum to the current rate.

to:
That the real rate of return varies 2% - 3% around a mean over time is not at all out of line. Do you take issue with the market rate being a reflection of the sum of the real interest rate (generating a real return) and an inflation premium as a general rule and over time?

Your new "fundamental point" real rate of return varies 2% - 3% around a mean over time is a much more general statement.

However, again from the graph, over time now (say 10-years for example from '80 to '90) the real risk free interest rate varied:

9%-3% for the T-Bond; and,
7%-0% for the T-Bill;
Considerably outside 2-3% range you feel is 'in line' i.e. outside the "medium term" of "months" looking at 10 years the variation of real risk free interest is 3 fold greater than what you feel is in line.

Further, another component (among others) omitted from your sum is duration. Obviously, lenders want a greater interest rate of return, after inflation, after risk, for longer terms - a 'duration premium' if you will. That's why we have an rate "curve" (slope) of increasing rates from 0 to 30 years. Right?

96 posted on 10/20/2003 6:00:22 PM PDT by Starwind (The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the only true good news)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 91 | View Replies ]


To: Starwind
Your "fundamental point" now is not consistent with your earlier posts.

Well, now, I beg to differ. Perhaps you should again read my earlier posts. I am aware of their content since I wrote them and I have not entered my dotage quite yet.

98 posted on 10/20/2003 7:51:02 PM PDT by Phaedrus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 96 | View Replies ]

To: Starwind
Further, another component (among others) omitted from your sum is duration. Obviously, lenders want a greater interest rate of return, after inflation, after risk, for longer terms - a 'duration premium' if you will. That's why we have an rate "curve" (slope) of increasing rates from 0 to 30 years. Right?

Duration premium? Come on, Starwind, you are talking about the yield curve and validly correlating inflation to market interest rates requires matching maturities. So, help us out. Comprising market interest rates are 1) a real rate of return required by investors that varies somewhat over time, and 2) an inflation premium that is subject of measurement variation. What other fundamental determining factors are there? Please bear in mind that "Length Before Strength" is a rule that works only in Bridge.

100 posted on 10/20/2003 8:11:48 PM PDT by Phaedrus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 96 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson