Fixed rate bond
Encyclopedia
In finance, a fixed rate bond is a type of debt instrument bond
with a fixed coupon
(interest) rate, as opposed to a floating rate note
. A fixed rate bond is a long term debt paper that carries a predetermined interest rate. The interest rate is known as coupon rate
and interest is payable at specified dates before bond maturity.
Due to its fixed nature, the fixed-rate bond is not susceptible to fluctuations in interest rates, and is therefore viewed as a security that does not possess a significant amount of interest rate risk. That being said, the fixed-rate bond, although a conservative investment, is highly susceptible to a loss in value due to inflation. The fixed-rate bond’s long maturity schedule and predetermined coupon rate offers an investor a solidified return, while leaving the individual exposed to a rise in the consumer price index and overall decrease in their purchasing power.
The coupon rate attached to the fixed-rate bond is payable at specified dates before the bond reaches maturity; the coupon rate and the fixed-payments are delivered periodically to the investor at a percentage rate of the bond’s face value. Due to a fixed-rate bond’s lengthy maturity date, these payments are typically small and as stated before are not tied into interest rates.
There are a number of factors that you need to be aware of before choosing your account, for example, some accounts offer interest that it adds onto your balance monthly, which then accumulates more interest throughout the year based on the total balance. Other accounts pay the interest owed when the term ends, or pay the interest into a separate savings account on a monthly basis, so you will only be paid interest on the opening balance.
Purchasing a fixed rate bond is knowing, from the very start, what to expect out of the investment. As such, beginners in the investment world, as well as more experienced but conservative ones see this as a good and stable option. Those who are not very well-versed in investments also stand to benefit, because it no longer becomes necessary to monitor every single change in the economy that have a detrimental effect to the expected return of the bond.
Bond (finance)
In finance, a bond is a debt security, in which the authorized issuer owes the holders a debt and, depending on the terms of the bond, is obliged to pay interest to use and/or to repay the principal at a later date, termed maturity...
with a fixed coupon
Coupon (bond)
A coupon payment on a bond is a periodic interest payment that the bondholder receives during the time between when the bond is issued and when it matures. Coupons are normally described in terms of the coupon rate, which is calculated by adding the total amount of coupons paid per year and...
(interest) rate, as opposed to a floating rate note
Floating rate note
Floating rate notes are bonds that have a variable coupon, equal to a money market reference rate, like LIBOR or federal funds rate, plus a spread. The spread is a rate that remains constant. Almost all FRNs have quarterly coupons, i.e. they pay out interest every three months, though counter...
. A fixed rate bond is a long term debt paper that carries a predetermined interest rate. The interest rate is known as coupon rate
Coupon (bond)
A coupon payment on a bond is a periodic interest payment that the bondholder receives during the time between when the bond is issued and when it matures. Coupons are normally described in terms of the coupon rate, which is calculated by adding the total amount of coupons paid per year and...
and interest is payable at specified dates before bond maturity.
Due to its fixed nature, the fixed-rate bond is not susceptible to fluctuations in interest rates, and is therefore viewed as a security that does not possess a significant amount of interest rate risk. That being said, the fixed-rate bond, although a conservative investment, is highly susceptible to a loss in value due to inflation. The fixed-rate bond’s long maturity schedule and predetermined coupon rate offers an investor a solidified return, while leaving the individual exposed to a rise in the consumer price index and overall decrease in their purchasing power.
The coupon rate attached to the fixed-rate bond is payable at specified dates before the bond reaches maturity; the coupon rate and the fixed-payments are delivered periodically to the investor at a percentage rate of the bond’s face value. Due to a fixed-rate bond’s lengthy maturity date, these payments are typically small and as stated before are not tied into interest rates.
Difference between Fixed and Floating rate bonds:
Unlike a fixed-rate bond, a floating rate note is a type of bond that contains a variable coupon that is equal to a money market reference rate, or a federal funds rate plus a specified spread. Although the spread remains constant, the majority of floating rate notes contains quarterly coupons that pay-out interest every 3 months with variable percentage returns. At the beginning of each coupon period, the rate is calculated by adding the spread with the reference rate. This structure differs from the fixed-bond rate which locks in a coupon rate and delivers it to the holder over semi-annually over a course of multiple years.Do they provide better returns?
Bonds generally provide higher rates of interest than other bank accounts, so fixed rate bond accounts are ideal for people who have spare money that they can afford to lock away for a fixed period of time.There are a number of factors that you need to be aware of before choosing your account, for example, some accounts offer interest that it adds onto your balance monthly, which then accumulates more interest throughout the year based on the total balance. Other accounts pay the interest owed when the term ends, or pay the interest into a separate savings account on a monthly basis, so you will only be paid interest on the opening balance.
Purchasing a fixed rate bond is knowing, from the very start, what to expect out of the investment. As such, beginners in the investment world, as well as more experienced but conservative ones see this as a good and stable option. Those who are not very well-versed in investments also stand to benefit, because it no longer becomes necessary to monitor every single change in the economy that have a detrimental effect to the expected return of the bond.