The crucial role of the five-year Treasury in the US yield curve

Abstract

This paper analyzes the connectedness and spillover transmission mechanism in the U.S. Treasury yields with different maturities than previous studies which focused on the spread between short- and long-term rates. We find that 5-year Treasury yields play the role of the transmitter to other yields, conveying their liquidity and center location in yield curve advantages. Most importantly, the information transmitter role of 5-year Treasury yields remains unchanged under unconventional monetary policies even though these policies decrease the total connectedness of Treasury yields. The transmitter role of the 5-year Treasury has also manifested in the Treasury market flash event and in Treasury futures and ETFs.