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Ebooks / Fixed Income Part 1 / Chapter 8 of 17

Parallel and Non-parallel Shifts in Yield Curve

Securities & MarketsApril 4, 2012 · 1 min read

Parallel Shift

Rates across the maturity spectrum change by a constant amount and the slope of the yield curve remains consistent.

Non-Parallel Shifts

  • Twist: The slope of the yield curve becomes flatter (the spread between short and long term yields narrows) or steeper (the spread between short and long term yields widens).

  • Butterfly: Change to the curvature of the yield curve.

    Positive butterfly: The yield curve goes loses some of its “hump” and becomes straighter.

    Negative butterfly: The yield curve takes on more of a hump and ceases to look similar to a straight line.