In: Finance
Suppose that the spot interest rate on a one-year zero-coupon bond is 2% and the spot interest rate on a two-year zero-coupon bond is 3.5%. Based on the pure expectations theory of the term structure of interest rates, what is the expected one-year interest rate starting in one year?
Given ,
One year spot rate ( S1) = 2%
Two year spot rate (S2) = 3.5%
Based on pure expectation theory ,
One year interest rate starting in one year = (1+ S2)^2 / (1+S1) – 1
= (1+3.5%)^2 / (1+2%) -1
= (1.035^2 /1.02) -1
= (1.071225 / 1.02) -1 = 1.050221 -1 = 5.0221%
Hence, One year interest rate starting one year = 5.0221%