What Is Convexity? How Does Convexity Affect Duration-Based Predicted Price Changes for Price

question 54

Essay

What is convexity?
How does convexity affect duration-based predicted price changes for interest rates changes?
Convexity is a measure of the nonlinearity (curvature)of a change in a bond's price caused by a change in interest rates. The level of convexity increases for greater interest rate changes. Duration is a linear estimate of a bond's price change as the interest rate changes from its current level. Due to convexity,the greater the interest rate change,the greater the error in using duration to estimate the bond's price change. For a multimillion-dollar bond portfolio,the dollar errors can be quite significant. In abnormal markets,bond investors may face more or less risk than the bond's duration would imply.
Calculus

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Definitions:

Euribor

The interest rate at which banks lend to each other in euros within the Euro interbank market.

Par Value

The face value of the bond. The payment to the bondholder on the bond’s maturity date.

Ask Price

The lowest price a seller is willing to accept for an asset in the market.

Corporate Bond

A debt security issued by a corporation to raise funding, which offers interest payments to holders until maturity.