1 Yield Curve Inversions and Future Economic Growth Campbell R. Harvey Duke University, Durham, NC USA National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge MA USA office || mobile May 20, 2010

2 Issue How long will this recession be? I pioneered in my 1986 dissertation at the University of Chicago a recession prediction model linked to the term structure of interest rates

3 Historical Track Record Yield curve measure attracted significant attention in accurately forecasting the last seven recessions The measure also avoided false signals (for example, it forecasted strong growth in 1988 after the October 1987 crash and it forecasted strong growth in 1999 after the August 1998 financial crisis).

4 Yield Curve Inverts Before Recessions (5-year Treasury note minus 3-month Treasury bill yield – constant maturity) % Real annual GDP growth Yield curve Recession Correct 2 Recessions Correct Recession Correct Annual GDP growth or Yield Curve % Data though December 1986 Source: Campbell R. Harvey. Update of Harvey (1986, 1988, 1989, 1991). Dissertation published in 1986

5 Yield Curve Inverts Before Last Seven Recessions (5-year Treasury note minus 3-month Treasury bill yield – constant maturity) % Real annual GDP growth Yield curve Recession Correct 2 Recessions Correct Recession Correct Yield curve accurate in previous recession Recession Correct Annual GDP growth or Yield Curve % Data though May 2010 Source: Campbell R. Harvey. Update of Harvey (1986, 1988, 1989, 1991). Correct on current recession

6 Recent Annualized One-Quarter GDP Growth (10-year and 5-year Yield Curves-secondary market) % Real annualized one-quarter GDP growth Annualized 1-quarter GDP growth Both curves invert 2000Q3 10-year 5-year Yield curve Data though April 11, % growth assumed for 2010Q1 Forecasts long recession

7 Evaluating the 2001 Recession In July 2000, the yield curve inverted forecasting recession to begin in Official NBER Peak is March In March 2001, the yield curve returned to normal Inversion length = 9 months Forecast recession trough November On July 17, 2003 the NBER announced the official end of the recession was November 2001.

8 Evaluating the Recession In January 2006, the yield curve inverted forecasting recession to begin in Official NBER Peak is December In August 2007, the yield curve returned to normal. Inversion length = 20 months indicating long recession. Forecasts the end of the recession in August We need to wait and see.

9 Exhibit 1

10 Current Recession Forecast In the first quarter 2006, the Yield Curve inverts for 20 months Lead time to NBER Peak is 9-15 months over last six business cycles Model predicts recovery beginning August 2009 –Length of recession projected to be more than double that of previous two recessions

11 Yield Curve and GDP Research Chronology Campbell R. Harvey’s Ph.D. Thesis, University of Chicago, Campbell R. Harvey, “The Real Term Structure and Consumption Growth,” Journal of Financial Economics, 1988 Seven other articles found at: