Final answer:
The issue price of the bond is calculated using the present value of its future cash flows, discounted at the market interest rate. Since the bond's stated interest rate of 7% is higher than the market interest rate of 5%, it will be issued at a premium. If the discount rate increases, the present value, and thus the price of the bond, will decrease.
Step-by-step explanation:
The issue price of a bond when the stated interest rate is less than the market interest rate can be calculated using the present value of the bond's future cash flows, discounted at the market interest rate. Since the bond's stated interest rate is 7% but the market interest rate is 5%, the bond will be issued at a premium because its coupon payments are more attractive compared to the market rate.
For example, a $10,000 bond with a 7% interest rate would pay $700 annually. To find the present value of these payments, each payment is divided by (1 + market interest rate) raised to the number of years until the payment is received. The face value payment at maturity is also discounted back to the present using the same method. Summing these present values provides the bond's issue price, which in this case would be higher than the face value due to the premium.
Calculating Bond Price with a Discount Rate
When recalculating the bond's price with a higher discount rate than the bond's interest rate, for example, a discount rate of 12% versus an 8% interest rate, the bond's present value would decrease. This is because the future cash flows are discounted more heavily, reflecting the higher opportunity cost of not investing in an alternative investment with a higher return. Therefore, with a higher discount rate, the bond's price will be less.