Yasuo Nishiyama 
Interest Rates [PDF ebook] 
Term Structure Models, Monetary Policy, and Prediction

Interest rates are directly related to our lives. When interest rates are high, we hold less cash and more interest-bearing assets because we face a high opportunity cost of holding cash. Interest rates are directly related to the economy. When interest rates are high, there are not as many viable opportunities for firms to invest as when they are low, leading to a lower level of investment and a lower level of economic activities. Interest rates are directly related to the objectives of countries’ monetary policy. This book, entitled "Interest Rates: Term Structure Models, Monetary Policy and Prediction" sheds light on selected aspects of this multifaceted role of interest rates. Topics discussed include term structure models; policy interest rates and the usefulness of interest rates as a predictor.