Answer:
For a given change in interest rates, the prices of long-term bonds will change more drastically than the prices of short-term bonds.
Explanation:
A bond can be defined as a fixed income instrument that firms use as a source of longer-term funding or loans.
The par value of a bond is its face value and it comprises of its total dollar amount as well as its maturity value. Also, the par value of a bond gives the basis on which periodic interest is paid. Thus, a bond is issued at par value when the market rate of interest is the same as the contract rate of interest. This simply means that, a bond would be issued at par (face) value when the bond's stated rated is significantly equal to the effective or market interest rate on the specific date it was issued.
In Economics, bonds could either be issued at discount or premium.
Hence, a bond that is being issued at a discount has its stated rate lower than the market interest rate, on the specific date of issuance. Also, a bond that is being issued at a premium, has its stated rate higher than the market interest rate on the specific date of issuance.
Generally, bond price is inversely proportional to its interest rate, thus, when interest rates are high, bond prices would be low and when interest rates are low, bond prices are high.
The theorem that best explains the relationship between interest rates and bond prices is that for a given change in interest rates, the prices of long-term bonds will change more drastically than the prices of short-term bonds because long-term bondholders are liable to higher rate of interest rate risks than the short-term bondholders.
