Ch a p ter 4 Understanding Interest Rates. Interest rates are among the most closely watched variables in the economy. Their movements are reported almost daily by the news media, because they directly affect our everyday lives and have important consequences for the health of the economy. | Chapter 4 Understanding Interest Rates PREVIEW markets Under Rates Bonds you can access information on key interest rates . Treasuries Government bonds and municipal bonds. Interest rates are among the most closely watched variables in the economy. Their movements are reported almost daily by the news media because they directly affect our everyday lives and have important consequences for the health of the economy. They affect personal decisions such as whether to consume or save whether to buy a house and whether to purchase bonds or put funds into a savings account. Interest rates also affect the economic decisions of businesses and households such as whether to use their funds to invest in new equipment for factories or to save their money in a bank. Before we can go on with the study of money banking and financial markets we must understand exactly what the phrase interest rates means. In this chapter we see that a concept known as the yield to maturity is the most accurate measure of interest rates the yield to maturity is what economists mean when they use the term interest rate. We discuss how the yield to maturity is measured and examine alternative but less accurate ways in which interest rates are quoted. We ll also see that a bond s interest rate does not necessarily indicate how good an investment the bond is because what it earns its rate of return does not necessarily equal its interest rate. Finally we explore the distinction between real interest rates which are adjusted for inflation and nominal interest rates which are not. Although learning definitions is not always the most exciting of pursuits it is important to read carefully and understand the concepts presented in this chapter. Not only are they continually used throughout the remainder of this text but a firm grasp of these terms will give you a clearer understanding of the role that interest rates play in your life as well as in the general economy. Measuring Interest
