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If you’re someone who doesn’t own a college degree in finance and investment,

understanding how and why the markets move in the ways they do can be quite

confusing. Even if you do have some experience, you may understand how security

prices move but may still have some questions as to why they move that way.

Bond prices can be one of those confusing securities. Whereas most securities like stocks

just quote a price, bonds have a price as well as a yield and those two figures move in

opposite directions. How exactly does that work? Time for Bond Prices 101.

The bond prices and yields that you see quoted on TV are the current market values if

you were to buy a bond at that specific moment. Let’s say, for example, that you were

to buy a government bond at par value (par value is often quoted with a price of 100 and

means that the bond’s cost to you does not carry a discount or a premium) with a yield of

5%.

If bond yields were to rise to 5.25%, the value of your bond would go down. Why? It’s

because someone would be less interested in buying your 5% bond when they can get

a bond at 5.25% in the open market. You would need to sell your bond at a discount to

make up for the difference in yields.

The same is true going the other way. If yields drop to 4.75%, your bond becomes more

valuable because it carries a higher yield than what’s available in the market.

It’s probably important to note that the yield on a bond that you purchase doesn’t change.

It just constantly gets compared to current market rates which do change. If you purchase

that par value bond at 5% and hold it until it matures, you’ll earn 5% annually guaranteed

(assuming the bond doesn’t default, of course). It’s when you decide to sell it before

maturity that the sale value can go up or down.

Not so confusing once it’s explained, right?

If you’re someone who doesn’t own a college degree in finance and investment, understanding how and why the markets move in the ways they do can be quite confusing. Even if you do have some experience, you may understand how security prices move but may still have some questions as to why they move that way.

Bond prices can be one of those confusing securities. Whereas most securities like stocks just quote a price, bonds have a price as well as a yield and those two figures move in opposite directions. How exactly does that work? Time for Bond Prices 101.

The bond prices and yields that you see quoted on TV are the current market values if you were to buy a bond at that specific moment. Let’s say, for example, that you were to buy a government bond at par value (par value is often quoted with a price of 100 and means that the bond’s cost to you does not carry a discount or a premium) with a yield of 5%.

If bond yields were to rise to 5.25%, the value of your bond would go down. Why? It’s because someone would be less interested in buying your 5% bond when they can get a bond at 5.25% in the open market. You would need to sell your bond at a discount to make up for the difference in yields.

The same is true going the other way. If yields drop to 4.75%, your bond becomes more valuable because it carries a higher yield than what’s available in the market.

It’s probably important to note that the yield on a bond that you purchase doesn’t change. It just constantly gets compared to current market rates which do change. If you purchase that par value bond at 5% and hold it until it matures, you’ll earn 5% annually guaranteed (assuming the bond doesn’t default, of course). It’s when you decide to sell it before maturity that the sale value can go up or down.

Not so confusing once it’s explained, right?

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13y ago

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Related Questions

What is the relationship between interest rates and bond yields?

Interest rates and bond yields have an inverse relationship. When interest rates rise, bond prices fall, causing bond yields to increase. Conversely, when interest rates decrease, bond prices rise, leading to lower bond yields.


What is the relationship between interest rates and yields?

Interest rates and yields have an inverse relationship. When interest rates go up, bond yields go down, and vice versa. This is because bond prices and yields move in opposite directions.


What type of relationship exists between bond prices and interest rates?

The relationship between bond prices and interest rates is inverse. When interest rates rise, bond prices fall, and vice versa. This is because as interest rates increase, newer bonds with higher yields become more attractive, causing the value of existing bonds with lower yields to decrease.


What is the relationship between bond prices and interest rates?

Bond prices and interest rates have an inverse relationship. When interest rates rise, bond prices fall, and vice versa. This is because as interest rates increase, newer bonds offer higher yields, making existing bonds with lower yields less attractive, causing their prices to decrease.


Relationship between bond price and yield?

The relationship between bond price and yield is inverse: as bond prices increase, bond yields decrease, and vice versa. This is because bond prices and yields have an inverse relationship due to the fixed interest rate paid by the bond. When bond prices rise, the effective yield decreases because the fixed interest payment represents a smaller percentage of the higher price. Conversely, when bond prices fall, the effective yield increases because the fixed interest payment represents a larger percentage of the lower price.


How does the relationship between bond yields and interest rates impact the overall financial market?

The relationship between bond yields and interest rates impacts the overall financial market by influencing borrowing costs, investment decisions, and the valuation of assets. When bond yields rise, it can lead to higher interest rates, which can increase borrowing costs for businesses and individuals. This can potentially slow down economic growth and affect stock prices. Conversely, when bond yields fall, it can lower interest rates, making borrowing cheaper and potentially stimulating economic activity and boosting stock prices. Overall, changes in bond yields and interest rates can have a significant impact on the financial market's performance.


How does the fed purchase of bonds lower yields?

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Bonds work with interest rates in a way that when interest rates go up, bond prices go down, and vice versa. This is because bond prices and interest rates have an inverse relationship. When interest rates rise, new bonds are issued with higher yields, making existing bonds with lower yields less attractive, causing their prices to decrease. Conversely, when interest rates fall, existing bonds with higher yields become more valuable, leading to an increase in their prices.


What is the relationship between bond yield and interest rates?

Bond yield and interest rates have an inverse relationship. When interest rates rise, bond yields typically increase as well. Conversely, when interest rates fall, bond yields tend to decrease. This relationship is important for investors to consider when making decisions about buying or selling bonds.


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This is true. If a given input value yields four output values that relationship can be best described as a relation.


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