Question

A month ago, you bought a one-year bond with a value of $100 that pays a fixed interest rate of 5 percent per year. The interest rate of the economy was also 5 percent. Today you read in the newspaper that the interest rate in the economy increased to 6 percent. You are holding a bond that is:

Answer 1

Answer:

less desirable to other investors

Explanation:

Given: Current fixed coupon rate 5%

           Market rate of interest 5%

           New Market Rate of Interest 6%

Value of a bond is inversely related to economy interest rate or the yield to maturity (YTM). Value of a bond is expressed by the following equation:

$B_{0}\ = \frac{C}{(1\ +\ YTM)^{1} } \ +\ \frac{C}{(1\ +\ YTM)^{2} } \ +....+\ \frac{C}{(1\ +\ YTM)^{n} }\ +\ \frac{RV}{(1\ +\ YTM)^{n} }$

wherein, C = Coupon rate of interest

         YTM = Market Rate of Interest or interest rate in the economy or investor's expectation

                n= Years to maturity

             RV = Redemption value

In the given case, C = YTM i.e par value bond. When ytm rises to 6%, the value of the bond shall fall making such a bond less attractive since it represents lower coupon payments than investor expectations.

Thus, now the bond would be less desirable to other investors.