Question

Which of the following bonds has the greatest price risk? A 10-year $100 annuity. A 10-year, $1,000 face value, zero coupon bond. A 10-year, $1,000 face value, 10% coupon bond with annual interest payments. All 10-year bonds have the same price risk since they have the same maturity. A 10-year, $1,000 face value, 10% coupon bond with semiannual interest payments.

Answer 1

Answer:

A 10-year, $1,000 face value, zero coupon bond.

Explanation:

Zero coupon bonds are sold at a deep discount, and do not pay coupons, only pay the full par value price at maturity.

Zero coupon bonds are riskier than other types of bonds because they are subject to interest tax risk: this means that even if the bond does not pay coupons, the IRS still computes an imputed interest that the bond would have received, and charges an income tax over it.

If the bondholder of a zero coupon sells the bond before maturity, the risk of having paid more in both income taxes on imputed intersest, plus the initial price of the bond itself, than the gain from the sale, is very high.