What is Duration Risk

Duration risk, also known as interest rate risk, is the sensitivity of a bond's price to changes in interest rates. When interest rates rise, the value of existing bonds falls, and vice versa. This is because investors demand a higher return for holding a bond when rates are higher, making existing bonds with lower yields less attractive. Duration quantifies this sensitivity, measuring how much a bond's price will change in response to a 1% change in interest rates.

Here are some key points about bond durations:

• Duration measures how much a bond's price could drop for a 1 percentage point increase in interest rates. The longer the duration, the higher the risk.
• Bonds with longer maturities and lower coupons tend to have higher durations and are more sensitive to interest rate changes.
• As interest rates rise, bonds with higher durations experience larger price declines compared to bonds with lower durations.
• Duration risk was heightened in recent years as central banks kept interest rates low for an extended period, leading to higher bond durations. The subsequent rapid rise in rates in 2022 caused significant losses for longer-duration bonds.
• Portfolio managers can manage duration risk by adjusting the average duration of their bond holdings based on their interest rate outlook. Shortening duration reduces risk when rates are expected to rise.

The duration of a bond is influenced by several factors, including its maturity, coupon rate, and yield to maturity (YTM). Longer maturities, lower coupon rates, and lower YTMs result in higher durations, making the bond more sensitive to interest rate changes. For example, a bond with a longer maturity will have more time for interest rate movements to impact its value.

Understanding duration risk is crucial for investors as it allows them to make informed decisions about their bond portfolio. For instance, investors who expect interest rates to rise might choose bonds with shorter durations to minimize price fluctuations. Conversely, investors who believe rates will fall might benefit from holding bonds with longer durations.

How Does Duration Risk Affect Bond Prices?

The longer the duration of a bond, the more sensitive it is to interest rate changes, meaning its price will fluctuate more significantly.

The relationship between duration and bond prices is inverse. When interest rates rise, the value of existing bonds falls. This is because investors can now buy newly issued bonds with higher interest rates, making older bonds with lower rates less attractive. The longer the duration, the greater the price decline will be. Conversely, when interest rates fall, the value of existing bonds rises as they become more attractive compared to newly issued bonds with lower interest rates.

Manage Duration Risk in a Portfolio

Managing duration risk involves balancing your portfolio's sensitivity to interest rate fluctuations.

One strategy is to adjust your portfolio's average duration. Bonds with longer maturities have higher durations, meaning they are more sensitive to interest rate changes. Shortening the average maturity of your bonds by selling longer-duration bonds and buying shorter-duration bonds can reduce your portfolio's duration risk. Conversely, if you expect interest rates to decline, you can increase your portfolio's duration by buying longer-maturity bonds.

Another approach is to diversify your bond holdings across different sectors and maturities. Holding a mix of bonds with varying durations can help smooth out the impact of interest rate changes. For example, you might invest in a combination of short-term, intermediate-term, and long-term bonds. This strategy reduces the overall impact of any single interest rate change on your portfolio.

Ultimately, your approach to managing duration risk should depend on your investment goals, risk tolerance, and market outlook.

How do Central Bank Actions Influence Duration Risk

Central bank actions can significantly influence duration risk. Here are some key ways central banks impact duration risk:

• Setting Policy Rates: Central banks set key policy rates like the federal funds rate, which influence the broader interest rate environment. When central banks raise rates, it increases the discount rates used to value bonds, leading to higher duration risk as bond prices become more sensitive to further rate changes.
• Asset Purchase Programs: Through quantitative easing (QE) programs, central banks purchase large amounts of government and other bonds. This increases the duration risk on their balance sheets as their bond holdings become more sensitive to interest rates. For example, the Federal Reserve's modified duration increased from around 2.75 before the crisis to nearly 8 after QE, meaning a 1% rate rise could reduce its portfolio value by 8%.
• Signaling Future Policy: Central bank communications and forward guidance on future policy actions influence market expectations of interest rates. Signaling a prolonged low rate environment can encourage investors to increase portfolio duration, amplifying duration risk if rate hike expectations later shift.
• Market Functioning: Sustained asset purchases can reduce the supply of bonds available, impacting market liquidity and pricing dynamics, which feeds into duration risk calculations by investors.

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