Glossary: FI Module 06 — Bond Valuation

TermDefinition
Bond pricingDetermining the present value of a bond’s expected future cash flows
Market discount rateThe rate used to discount a bond’s cash flows; reflects the required yield for similar-risk bonds
Flat price (clean price)The quoted bond price excluding accrued interest
Full price (dirty price)The actual settlement price = flat price + accrued interest
Accrued interestThe interest earned since the last coupon payment date, owed by buyer to seller
Day count conventionThe method for counting days to calculate accrued interest (e.g., 30/360, Actual/Actual)
Premium bondA bond trading above par (coupon rate > market discount rate)
Par bondA bond trading at par value (coupon rate = market discount rate)
Discount bondA bond trading below par (coupon rate < market discount rate)
Pull to parThe tendency of a bond’s price to converge toward par as maturity approaches
Matrix pricingEstimating a bond’s price using yields of comparable traded bonds; used for illiquid bonds
Constant-yield price trajectoryThe path a bond’s price follows over time if the yield remains unchanged
Settlement dateThe date the buyer pays and the seller delivers the bond
Ex-coupon dateThe date after which the buyer does not receive the next coupon payment
Inverse price-yield relationshipThe fundamental property that bond prices move inversely to yield changes

See also: Bond Valuation