Holding other factors constant, which one of the following bonds has the smallest price volatility? 1) 5- year, 0% coupon bond 2) 5- year, 12% coupon bond 3) 5- year, 14% coupon bond 4)5- year. 10% coupon bond 5) Cannot tell from the information given.
Show why
For a given term to maturity and initial yield, the smaller the coupon rate, the greater will be the price volatility. So, among the given bonds, the 5-year 14% coupon bond will have the least price volatility.
Let us assume that the given bonds have a YTM of y (annual) and have the same par value M, then price volatility is given by the Macaulay Duration
where C = coupon per period, n = number of payments and P = current bond price
For the same YTM, the current price will be highest for the bond with the highest coupon rate which is the 5-year 14% bond here. Therefore, the duration for the 5-year 14% bond will be lowest.
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