Bill Bonds

A guide to the theory behind bond math formulas

Bond Math explores the ideas and assumptions behind commonly used statistics on risk and return for individual bonds and on fixed income portfolios. But this book is much more than a series of formulas and calculations; the emphasis is on how to think about and use bond math.

Author Donald J. Smith, a professor at Boston University and an experienced executive trainer, covers in detail money market rates, periodicity conversions, bond yields to maturity and horizon yields, the implied probability of default, after-tax rates of return, implied forward and spot rates, and duration and convexity. These calculations are used on traditional fixed-rate and zero-coupon bonds, as well as floating-rate notes, inflation-indexed securities, and interest rate swaps.

• Puts bond math in perspective through discussions of bond portfolios and investment strategies.
• Critiques the Bloomberg Yield Analysis (YA) page, indicating which numbers provide reliable information for making decisions about bonds, which are meaningless data, and which can be very misleading to investors
• Filled with thought-provoking insights and practical advice, this book puts the intricacies of bond math into a clear and logical order.