What Are the Potential Biases of the Simple Yield Calculation

question 36

Essay

What are the potential biases of the simple yield calculation? Take the example of two straight yen Eurobonds with the same maturity of five years. Bond A has a coupon of 12% and Bond B, a coupon of 8%. The current market yield on yen bonds is 10%. These two bonds have the same yield-to-maturity of 10% and are correctly priced at 107.58% for Bond A and 92.42% for Bond B. What would be the yield-to-maturity indicated by the simple yield calculation?

---

Definitions:

Karl Marx

A 19th-century philosopher, economist, and revolutionary socialist who developed the theory of Marxism, focusing on the conflicts within capitalism and its eventual overthrow.

Milton Friedman

An influential American economist known for his strong belief in free-market capitalism and for his role in the development of monetarism.

Murray Weidenbaum

An economic advisor and scholar known for his work on public policy and regulation, serving as the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Ronald Reagan.

Induced Consumption

The concept that the level of consumer spending increases as disposable income rises, and decreases as disposable income falls, all else being constant.