What is a bond and how does it relate to a yield curve?
|The basics of what a bond is
Think of a bond simply as a type of loan. It is a loan taken out by Governments and companies. When Governments and very large companies want to borrow money they can’t easily go to a bank because of the huge amounts of money involved. So, a bond is a mechanism by which a Government or large corporation borrows money for their needs. The bond is issued for a set period of time. Bonds can be purchased for different lengths of time from short-term, medium-term, and long-term bonds. Short-term bonds are only for a year or two, medium-term bonds are up to 10 years, and long-term bonds are generally 10 years or longer. These bonds have a coupon or yield rate.
Understanding what a yield is on a bond
As an incentive to loan money to the Government or a large company the bond has a yield. The yield is an agreed interest payment on the value of the loan. So, for example, say you purchased a UK bond for £1000 with a yield of 5%, referred to as a coupon, you would receive £50 for each year you held the bond. Then, when the bond expires, you would receive back the original value you purchased the bond for. So, to be clear, the graph below shows a ‘yield curve’. The black dots on the chart show the ‘yields or coupons’ for each bond. The 3YR bond is showing a yield just above 1%. The 7YR bond is showing a yield of just above 2% and the 30YR bond has a yield of just over 3%. The dots are joined together and that creates what is known as the ‘yield curve’.
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers.