This dissertation investigates the volatility of the relationships between exchange rates and interest rates. The first part of the paper explores the transmission relationship between these two markets using a time-series model. Previous studies have assumed that covariance was constant in both markets. However, if the volatilities of the exchange rate and interest rate markets are correlated over time, the interaction and spillover effects between the two markets may be affected by time-varying covariance. Hence, this paper utilizes the BEKK-GARCH model developed by Engle and Kroner (1995) to capture the dynamic relationship between the exchange rates and interest rates. This study uses the returns data for G7 members¡¦ exchange rates and interest rates to test whether these markets exhibited volatilities spillover from 1978 to 2009. The results show bi-directional volatility spillovers in the markets of the UK, the Euro countries, and Canada, where the volatilities of the two markets were interrelated. The second part of the paper explores the relationship between exchange rates and interest rates using a jump diffusion model. Previous studies assumed that the dynamic processes of exchange rates and interest rates follow a diffusion process with a continuous time path, but an increasing number of empirical studies have shown that a continuous diffusion stochastic model does not capture the dynamic process of these variables. Thus, this paper investigates the discontinuous variables of exchange rates and interest rates and assumes that these variables follow a jump diffusion process. The UIRP model is employed to explore the relationship between both variables and to divide the systematic risk into systematic continuous risk and systematic jump risk. The returns data for G7 members¡¦ exchange rates and interest rates from 2005 to 2010 were analyzed to test whether the expected exchange rate is affected by jump components when the interest rate market experiences a jump. The results show that the jump diffusion model has more explanatory power than the pure diffusion model does, and, when the interest rate market experiences a jump risk, the systematic jump risk has a significant relationship with the expected exchange rates in some G7 countries.

Most of the derivative pricing models are developed in the jump diffusion models, and many literatures assume those jumps are diversifiable. However, we find many risk cannot be avoided through diversification. In this paper, we extend the Jarrow and Yildirim model to consider the existence of systematic jump risk in nominal interest rate, real interest rate and inflation rate to derive the no-arbitrage condition by using Esscher transformation. In addition, this study also derives the value of TIPS and TIPS European call option. Furthermore, we use the econometric theory to decompose TIPS market price volatility into a continuous component and a jump component. We find the jump component contribute most of the TIPS market price volatility. In addition, we also use the TIPS yield index to obtain the systematic jump component and systematic continuous component to find the systematic jump beta and the systematic continuous beta. The results show that the TIPS with shorter time to maturity are more vulnerable to systematic jump risk. In contrast, the individual TIPS with shorter time to maturity is more vulnerable to systematic jump. Finally, the sensitive analysis is conducted to detect the impacts of jumps risk on the value of TIPS European call option.