Sell at discount or premium

For example, a bond with a par value of $1,000 is selling at a premium when it can be bought for more than $1,000 and is selling at a discount when it can be bought for less than $1,000. Bonds can be sold for more and less than their par values because of changing interest rates.

Is it better to trade at a discount or premium?

Premium bonds trade above par value while discount bonds trade below it. Discount bonds can be riskier but the lower the price, the higher the potential for gains. Premium bonds can deliver higher returns with less risk, but they can be problematic if they become callable.

Is it better to sell a bond at discount or premium?

A bond might trade at a premium because its interest rate is higher than the current market interest rates. The company's credit rating and the bond's credit rating can also push the bond's price higher. Investors are willing to pay more for a creditworthy bond from the financially viable issuer.

Why does a bond sell at a discount or premium?

"At a premium" is thus meant to describe that an asset as being priced higher than it is actually worth. In the case of a takeover, for example, the acquiring company often purchases the stock of a target company at a premium to market value.