Interest rates and bond prices (ставка процента и цены на облигации)

The change in interest rates has important implications for the stockmarket prices of bonds, which pay a fixed rate of interest: fixed-interest securities, of which the traditional gilt-edged securities issued by the government arc the most familiar though companies also issue fixed-interest bonds. It works like this.

Gilt-edged securities are a form of IOU (I owe you) or promissory note issued by the government when it needs to borrow money. The government undertakes to pay so much a year in interest to the people who put up the money and who get the IOU in exchange. Normally the government agrees to redeem the stock at some date in the future, but to illustrate the interest rate mechanism it is easiest initially to take an irredeemable or undated stock, which does not have to be repaid.

The original investors who lend the money to the government do not have to hold on to the lOUs. They can sell them to other investors, who then become entitled to receive the interest from the government. Suppose the government needs to borrow money at a time when investors would expect an 11% yield on a gilt-edged security. It oners $11 a year interest for every $100 it borrows. The investor is prepared to pay $100 for the right to receive $11 a year interest, because this represents an 11% return on his outlay.

Then suppose that interest rates rise to a point where an investor would expect a 12,5% return if he bought a gilt-edged security. He will no longer pay $100 for the right to $11 a year in income. He will only be prepared to pay a price that gives him a 12,5% return on his outlay. The "right" price in this case is $88, because if he pays only $88 to receive $11 a year in income, he is getting a 12,5% return on his investment. So in the stockmarket the price of the gilt-edged security that pays $11 a year interest will have to fall to $88 before investors are prepared to buy it. The original investor who paid $100 thus sees the value of his investment fall because of the rise in interest rates. Conversely, the value of his investment would have risen if interest rates had fallen.

To summarize: If interest rates on securities go down, bond prices or prices for securities go up, and vise versa.

Vocabulary notes

a promissory note – долговое обязательство

to put up the money – вкладывать деньги

to redeem – погашать (ценные бумаги)

irredeemable stock – непогашаемые ценные бумаги

undated stock – ценные бумаги без указания даты погашения

to hold on (to smth) – сохранять что-либо, держаться за что-либо

vise versa – наоборот

Assignments

I. Suggest the Russian equivalents

pay a fixed rate of interest: fixed-interest securities; IOU; become entitled to receive the interest; the original investor.

II. Replace the parts in italics by synonyms

has important implications; undertakes to pay; people who put up the money; agrees to redeem the stock; become entitled to receive the interest

III. Fill in the gaps with the words and expressions from the text

1. The change in __ has important implications for the stockmarket prices of bonds, which __.

2. Of fixed-interest securities the traditional __ issued by __ arc the most familiar though companies also issue __.

3. When the government needs to borrow money, it issues __ as a form of __ and undertakes to pay so much a year in interest to the people who __ and who get the IOU __.

4. When the government __ securities, it normally agrees __ the stock at some date in the future.

5. The original investors can sell their __ to other __, who then become __ from the government.

6. The investor __ to pay $100 for the right to receive __, because this represents an 11% __ on his __.

7. If __ rates rise, the __ investor sees __ fall.

8. __, the value of his investment __ if interest rates had fallen.

9. If interest rates on securities __, bond prices or prices for securities __, and __.

IV. Find in the text English equivalents for the following долговое обязательство; непогашаемые ценные бумаги (без указания даты погашения); наоборот, напротив (2 варианта)

V. Explain in English

а promissory note; IOU; fixed-interest securities; irredeemable (undated) stock

VI. Answer the questions

1. What does the government do when it needs to borrow money?

2. What are the implications of the change in interest rates for the stockmarket prices of bonds? Explain how it works.

VII. Translate into English using all the active possible

1. Государство, выпуская в тяжелые времена облигации в качестве долговых обязательств, когда ему необходимо занять деньги у населения, гарантирует обратную выплату всей занятой суммы плюс накопленный процент.

2. Вы не имеете права на пособие по безработице, если вы никогда не работали.

3. Правительство выделило около 500000 долларов, чтобы спасти по­пулярный футбольный клуб.

4. Более высокая процентная ставка невыгодна для инвесторов, уже вложивших свой капитал в акции с фиксированным дивидендом, так как она означает для них большие потери.