Exam 6: Bonds and Their Valuation

Suppose the federal deficit increased sharply from one year to the next, and the Federal Reserve kept the money supply constant. Other things held constant, we would expect to see interest rates decline.

Kay Corporation's 5-year bonds yield 6.20% and 5-year T-bonds yield 4.40%. The real risk-free rate is r* = 2.5%, the inflation premium for 5-year bonds is IP = 1.50%, the default risk premium for Kay's bonds is DRP = 1.30% versus zero for T-bonds, and the maturity risk premium for all bonds is found with the formula MRP = (t - 1) × 0.1%, where t = number of years to maturity. What is the liquidity premium (LP) on Kay's bonds?

A bond trader observes the following information: • The Treasury yield curve is downward sloping. • Empirical data indicate that a positive maturity risk premium applies to both Treasury and corporate bonds. • Empirical data also indicate that there is no liquidity premium for Treasury securities but that a positive liquidity premium is built into corporate bond yields. On the basis of this information, which of the following statements is most CORRECT?

Assume the following: The real risk-free rate, r*, is expected to remain constant at 3%. Inflation is expected to be 3% next year and then to be constant at 2% a year thereafter. The maturity risk premium is zero. Given this information, which of the following statements is CORRECT?

Suppose the real risk-free rate is 4.20%, the average expected future inflation rate is 3.10%, and a maturity risk premium of 0.10% per year to maturity applies, i.e., MRP = 0.10%(t), where t is the years to maturity, hence the pure expectations theory is NOT valid. What rate of return would you expect on a 4-year Treasury security? Disregard cross-product terms, i.e., if averaging is required, use the arithmetic average.

Which of the following statements is CORRECT, other things held constant?

If the pure expectations theory holds, which of the following statements is CORRECT?

The four most fundamental factors that affect the cost of money are (1) production opportunities, (2) time preferences for consumption, (3) risk, and (4) inflation.

If 10-year T-bonds have a yield of 6.2%, 10-year corporate bonds yield 8.5%, the maturity risk premium on all 10-year bonds is 1.3%, and corporate bonds have a 0.4% liquidity premium versus a zero liquidity premium for T-bonds, what is the default risk premium on the corporate bond?

If the pure expectations theory is correct, a downward sloping yield curve indicates that interest rates are expected to decline in the future.

Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

Kelly Inc's 5-year bonds yield 7.50% and 5-year T-bonds yield 4.90%. The real risk-free rate is r* = 2.5%, the default risk premium for Kelly's bonds is DRP = 0.40%, the liquidity premium on Kelly's bonds is LP = 2.2% versus zero on T-bonds, and the inflation premium (IP) is 1.5%. What is the maturity risk premium (MRP) on all 5-year bonds?

Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

If the Treasury yield curve were downward sloping, the yield to maturity on a 10-year Treasury coupon bond would be higher than that on a 1-year T-bill.

One of the four most fundamental factors that affect the cost of money as discussed in the text is the availability of production opportunities and their expected rates of return. If production opportunities are relatively good, then interest rates will tend to be relatively high, other things held constant.

Suppose the real risk-free rate is 3.00%, the average expected future inflation rate is 2.25%, and a maturity risk premium of 0.10% per year to maturity applies, i.e., MRP = 0.10%(t), where t is the years to maturity. What rate of return would you expect on a 1-year Treasury security, assuming the pure expectations theory is NOT valid? Include the cross-product term, i.e., if averaging is required, use the geometric average.