Do investors in Green Bond market pay a premium? Global evidence

We examine the pricing difference of Green Bonds (GB) and conventional bonds (CBs) in capital markets worldwide. Credit spread is used to observe whether investors would like to pay a premium for GBs over CBs. This study uses panel data regression with hybrid model to analyse daily observations over the period 2016 to 2017. We employ Option-Adjusted spread (OAS) to measure the credit spreads of bonds while controlling for bond specific, macroeconomic and global factors that influence the spread. With the hybrid model used in the panel data analysis, we were able to capture the fixed-effects of variables in a random effect model. We find that GBs are traded at a premium of 63 basis points (BPS), compared with a comparable corporate bond issue. We find that the green label provides issuers an incentive to raise funds through issuing GBs while providing investors an opportunity to diversify their investments returns. Our findings provide several implications to the major stakeholders driving the GB market to scale up the market to finance the required level of global green investment needs. We stress an urgent need to support the growth of the GB market to achieve sustainable development through mitigating climate change challenges.

Abbreviation GB: Green Bond; CB: Conventional Bond; YS: Yield Spread; BPS: Basis Points; OAS: Option-Adjusted Spread; PCSE: Panels Corrected Standard Errors; CPI: Consumer Price Index; GBPs: Green Bond Principles; CBS: Climate Bond Standard     

中央政府监管下的地方公债融资制度构想

作者认为,地方公共品需求的扩大和财政收支压力提出了地方政府债务融资的问题,而监督地方政府的民主机制建设落后,我国现阶段赋予地方政府独立举债权尚不现实,目前只能采取渐进式过渡性的办法--建立中央政府监管下的地方公债制度,以中央监管代替民主监督来解决地方政府在公共产品供应上资金不足的问题.据此,本文提出了中央政府监管下的地方公债制度构架及相关配套的改革建议.     

Default- and call-adjusted duration for corporate bonds

Call and default can potentially alter the timing and amounts of promised cashflows for callable, corporate bonds. While prior research has indicated the theoretical importance of adjusting Macaulay duration for the impacts of default and call, the question of their relative impact remains a matter of debate [The High Yield Debt Market, Dow Jones Irwin, New York, 1990, p. 18; J. Finan. 53 (1998) 2225]. We develop a theoretical analysis incorporating both default and call effects on duration and test its implications employing a previously unexplored data base of Canadian, investment grade, corporate bond indices containing an unusual provision making it possible to identify callable and noncallable indices.     

Capital, corporate income taxes, and catastrophe insurance

We provide estimates of the equity capital needed and the resulting tax costs incurred when supplying catastrophe insurance/reinsurance using a partial equilibrium model that incorporates a specific loss distribution for US catastrophe losses. After consideration of insurer investment in tax-exempt securities, tax loss carry-back/forward provisions, and personal taxes, our results imply that the tax costs of equity finance alone have a substantial effect on the cost of supplying catastrophe reinsurance. These results help explain a variety of industry developments that reduce tax costs. Also, when coupled with non-tax costs of capital, these results help explain the limited scope of catastrophe insurance/reinsurance.     

The effectiveness of interest-rate futures contracts for hedging Japanese bonds of different credit quality and duration

This study investigates the effectiveness of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE)-traded Japanese 10-year JGB futures contract to hedge portfolios of Japanese bonds of differing maturity and credit quality. The bond portfolios examined are Government, AAA-, and AA-rated Eurobonds with maturities of 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 20 years. Consistent with the recent literature, the study employs univariate methods for calculating hedge ratios based on levels, first differences, and percentage change of each series. Out-of-sample forecasting is used to determine the effectiveness of the calculated hedge ratios for each of the bond portfolios and to determine which approach to calculating hedge ratios is the most effective. The results show that this particular futures contract does provide a good hedge, particularly for those bond terms closest to the 10-year term of the contract. There is some evidence, although not strong, that JGBs are better hedged than AAA and AA bonds. Investors should take some caution when using this futures contract to hedge bond portfolios of different maturities and credit ratings.     

New development: Private finance over public good? Questioning the value of impact bonds

This article contrasts the proposed benefits of social impact bonds (SIBs) with the more mixed performance of initial projects, and reviews the early literature, revealing a similar divide between initial optimism and subsequent critique. Despite this, SIBs continue to receive high-level support, while expanding their reach through controversial new ‘development’ and ‘environmental’ impact bonds. This situation deserves more scrutiny in the accounting literature.     

基于VAR模型的黄金价格影响因素分析

自20世纪70年代初期布雷顿森林体系崩溃之后，美国割断了美元与黄金的固定比价关系，使黄金价格步入了市场化的轨道，黄金价格的大幅波动越演越烈，这使得人们越来越重视探讨影响黄金价格的种种因素。为此，利用VAR模型对黄金价格自身、美国通货膨胀率、国际原油价格等因素与黄金价格总水平的关系进行研究。通过研究得到了各因素影响黄金价格总水平的程度，其中发现黄金价格自身的波动是导致国际黄金价格总水平上升的最主要因素，这为研究黄金价格的变动提供了重要依据。     

浅谈工程投标保证金现状

本文介绍了现有投标保证金的相关规定,总结了投标保证金在实际招投标活动中起到的作用和存在的弊病,并提出了三点建议。     

关于发展我国市政债券及市场的几点思考

我国＂十二五＂期间将积极稳妥推进城镇化,提升城镇发展质量和水平。在资金来源渠道有限的情况下,我们可以借鉴美国发行市政债券促进地方城市基础建设的经验和做法,改变我国城镇基础建设设施落后,投入不足的现状,按照市场经济的要求,逐步建立市场化、多渠道、多层次的资金筹措新体制。通过发行市政债券将更多的社会资金引入公共部门,推动我国城镇化进程。