When the interest rate on a bond or certificate of deposit increases, the price of other securities linked to it decreases. Additionally, as the interest rate at which they borrow increases, the opportunity cost increases. This opportunity cost, or the expense of foregoing better investment opportunities, is associated with interest rate risk. Let us look into what is interest rate risk definition, examples and types of interest rate risk in detail further in this topic.
Bonds and certificates with shorter maturities are frequently less susceptible to depreciation during periods of rising interest rates. When a new security outperforms an existing investment in terms of returns, investors frequently transfer their money from one to the other. To compete with fresh issuance, existing securities must reduce their prices, effectively devaluing them.
What is Interest Rate Risk?
Interest rate risk is a term that relates to investment losses caused by interest rate changes. For example, rising interest rates reduce the value of bonds and other fixed-income investments. The duration of a bond is the time period during which its price fluctuates in response to changes in interest rates.
Hedging fixed-income investments via swaps, options, and other interest rate derivatives, such as future contracts, can assist investors in reducing their exposure to interest rate threat and fear.
Overview – Interest Rate Risk
Interest rate changes affect all assets, although they are more noticeable in bonds and other fixed-income instruments. As a result, bondholders closely monitor interest rates and make investment decisions based on how they appear to evolve over time.
Fixed-income securities lose value as interest rates climb (and vice versa). This is because as interest rates increase, the opportunity cost of holding such bonds increases, as does the risk of missing out on a potentially larger investment. When interest rates rise, bond yields fall. Earning the same 7% when rates elsewhere begin to rise to, say, 8% or 9% becomes significantly less tempting. Because no one wants to invest in a bond paying only 7% when they can get 9% elsewhere, the value of these bonds must be diminishing.
As a result, when interest rates exceed the fixed rate on a bond, investors reallocate their funds to assets that reflect the higher rate. Prior to the rate adjustment, securities issued can compete with new issues only if their prices are less.
Interest rate threat can be minimize by hedging or diversification strategies that reduce the portfolio’s effective duration or lessen the impact of rate swings. Additional information is available at Managing Interest Rate Risk.
Examples of Interest Rate Risk
Consider the following hypothetical situation: An investor purchases a $500 five-year bond with a 3% coupon. The interest rate then increases to 4%. When more low-interest bond offerings enter the market, the investor will have difficulties selling his bond. Reduced secondary market prices are a result of decreased demand.
The market value of the bond may decrease below the purchase price. Likewise, the converse is true. If interest rates fall below 5%, a bond earning 5% becomes more attractive because the bondholder obtains a guaranteed rate of return that is greater than the market rate.
Consider an additional instance of interest rate risk. Consider the following hypothetical situation: Mr. ABC invests $10,000 in Rs. 100 bonds. These securities guarantee an annual return of 5%. Over the course of a year, a $10,000 investment would be worth $10,500. After inflation and a 6% annual interest rate on newly issued securities, the total return on this investment is $10,600.
Types of Interest Rate Risks for Companies and Firms
A corporation’s interest rate risk is influenced by a range of factors. These points are discussed in greater detail below.
Market Turbulence
Market volatility and inflation can significantly raise interest rate risk, making refinancing or other financial commitments more challenging. In these instances, the institution’s outgoing financial flow frequently surpasses its incoming cash flow, making operation difficult.
Credit Risk
This ratio is a critical aspect in establishing a business’s credit risk. When interest rates rise, a business’s expenses increase as a result of the increased interest payments to investors. As a result, a financial institution’s credit risk increases.
Exchange Rates
Currency changes affect enterprises who owe money to foreign countries. When the dominant currency’s value declines, interest rate risks increase, and vice versa.
The Term of the Loan
The term of the loan has an effect on both the borrower and lender’s interest rate risk. Businesses that charge fixed interest rates on receivables may be force to rearrange their operations, decreasing their operating margins. As a result, the probability of interest rate changes increases. You can make use of home loan EMI calculator to check your revised tenure with change in rate of interest.
Types of Interest Rate Risks for Individual and Investors
Individual and institutional investors alike must assess the multiple interest rate risks. These are address in greater detail below.
Volatility of Prices
The price risk associated with an investment bond or certificate is the possibility of a price change. When a security is sold fast, surprise losses or gains occur.
The Risk Inherent in Reinvestment
The possibility of an interest rate change could result in sales. As a result, you may lose the ability to reinvest at today’s rate. These two types of reinvestment risk can be further split.
How to Manage Interest Rate Risks
Understanding interest rate risk is crucial because it has the potential to destabilise and perhaps ruin a financial organisation. The next section addresses the few options for interest rate regulation, as well as the risks connected with them.
Hedging
Numerous hedging strategies can be employed to mitigate interest rate risk. Frequently, these trading strategies involve the purchasing of derivatives. Common derivatives include interest rate swaps, options, and other derivatives.
There are two types of options: calls and puts. An option is a sort of derivative contract that confers the right, but not the obligation, on the holder to purchase or sell an asset at a specified price and date. Swaps are a subcategory of derivatives (FRAs).
Diversification
If a bondholder is concerned about interest rate risk, he can diversify his portfolio by investing in assets with a lower sensitivity to interest rate movements (e.g., equity). A portfolio of short- and long-term bonds can help diversify an all-bonds approach.
Sell-Off Long-term Bonds
Long-term bond sales are a common strategy. This enables investors to more efficiently control future interest rate risk by reinvestment in higher-yielding bonds. Interest rate concerns can be mitigated by reinvesting in shorter-maturity securities, such as short-term debt.
Safe Investment Strategies
Short-term bonds and certificates mitigate interest rate risk. Investing in short-term assets hedges against interest rate volatility. Due to the short maturity of this interest rate management strategy, it is less susceptible to interest rate volatility.
Investing with Floating-rate Securities
Interest rates on floating rate bonds change in lockstep with the stock market or other financial markets. It encourage to invest in these securities because their return on investment may fluctuate due to their market exposure.
As a component of a well-diversified portfolio that includes both long- and short-term assets. While this cannot always be used to calculate precise returns, it can help mitigate the risk of interest rate volatility.
Investors should be mindful of the risk management measures, as interest rate concerns can have a substantial impact on a business or an individual. Risk management is critical for avoiding asset depreciation.
Conclusion
Interest rate threat affects the value of present securities as well as the expected cash flow of a financial institution. It frequently have an effect on a firm’s financial health. Hope what is interest rate risk definition, types, how to manage risk, examples of interest rate risk were informative to you.
