Correcting estimation bias in regime switching dynamic term structure models

This paper extends the minimum-chi-square estimation for affine term structure models to a regime switching framework, and corrects the estimation bias in the regime switching dynamic term structure model. Biases arise as a result of highly persistent bond yields, and bias correction changes the decomposition of medium- and long-term forward rates. The bias-corrected expected short rate accounts for the pronounced moves in forward rates during the 1979–1982 monetary experiment and the financial crisis. The bias-corrected term premium becomes counter-cyclical and more negatively correlated with the short-term yield. Monte Carlo simulation shows that the decomposition of forward rates is more accurate after bias correction.