CREATION AND USE OF THE YIELD CURVE ON THE BANJA LUKA STOCK EXCHANGE

Abstract

There has been a lot of talks lately about falling interest rates in all markets. The decline in interest rates is also evident in the domestic market. Such information and trends increase caution, especially in the corporate sector, which is not conducive to economic optimism. In support of the black premonitions that have been pointed out recently, the paper also highlights the appearance of “inverse” yield curves on the Banja Luka Stock Exchange. The yield curve represents the relationship between the interest rate (or loan cost) and the time to maturity of a given borrower in a given currency. By definition, there is no single yield curve that describes financing costs for all market participants. There are conventions that everyone adheres to when it comes to choosing instruments and general design principles. The interpretation of the yield curve is very complex because the yield curve takes into account investors’ expectations in terms of interest rates, but also inflation and political cycles because it is reflected as a risk premium for long-term investments. However, the details of the design methodology are characteristic of different institutional investors. The paper describes the methodology for constructing the yield curve of the Republic of Srpska. The range and limitations of using such a yield curve are then stated are also described. The subject of this paper is to create the yield curve in a domestic market and to analyze data from such views. The aim of the paper is to scientifically explain and describe the process of creating a curve for the yield of debt securities issued by the government and to analyze and interpret the data from that curve. The research question is: “Can the yield curve on the Banja Luka Stock Exchange be used behind the presentation of the yield on debt securities over the last decade?” Thus, the paper demonstrates the scope and limitations of this model while respecting the standards and specifics of business in the emerging market. The conclusion is that the yield curve on the Banja Luka Stock Exchange is a theoretical construction rather than an empirically verified fact, in contrast to the yield curve from developed markets, but that it can be used to represent the yield on debt securities and, indirectly, as an auxiliary tool in making investment decisions. Also, the yield curve of debt securities of the Republic of Srpska is a theoretical concept, but it is also noticeable in practice. Moreover, it is a desirable tool for both academia and practitioners and the general public.