Bond Convexity Calculator
This calculator computes a bond's clean price and produces numerical approximations for modified duration and convexity by evaluating price at a small positive and negative yield shift. Numerical differentiation provides a practical, robust result for a wide range of coupon structures without requiring manual summation formulas.
Use the yield-shift parameter to calibrate accuracy: smaller shifts reduce bias but increase floating-point sensitivity. Default shift is 1 basis point (0.0001). Review the methodology and limitations below before using results for production or regulatory reporting.
Governance
Record 9f56e2ba35d0 • Reviewed by Fidamen Standards Committee
Inputs
Results
Clean Price
$1,081.76
Price (yield + shift)
$1,080.90
Price (yield - shift)
$1,082.61
Modified Duration (approx)
—
Convexity (approx, annualized)
—
Approx. Price Change for +1% Interest Rate Move
—
| Output | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Clean Price | $1,081.76 | USD |
| Price (yield + shift) | $1,080.90 | USD |
| Price (yield - shift) | $1,082.61 | USD |
| Modified Duration (approx) | — | years |
| Convexity (approx, annualized) | — | years^2 |
| Approx. Price Change for +1% Interest Rate Move | — | % |
Visualization
Methodology
Price is computed as the present value of coupon payments and principal using periodic discounting: an annuity term plus final principal PV. For a coupon frequency f, periodic yield is y/f and number of periods is years*f.
Durations and convexity are computed using central finite-difference approximations: D ≈ - (P(y+Δ) - P(y-Δ)) / (2*P*Δ) and Convexity ≈ (P(y+Δ) + P(y-Δ) - 2P(y)) / (2*P*Δ^2). This technique avoids analytic closed-form derivation errors and is widely used in production risk systems.
Accuracy guidance and operational controls: validate results by reducing yield-shift and confirming convergence; avoid shifts that are too small relative to machine epsilon. For mission-critical or regulatory calculations, run sensitivity analysis and independent reconciliation.
Worked examples
Example: Par=1000, coupon=5% (0.05), years=10, YTM=4% (0.04), semiannual. With default Δ=0.0001 the tool returns price, modified duration ≈ 8.x years, convexity ≈ 85–120 years^2 depending on coupon and term. Reduce Δ to 1e-5 to verify stability; results should converge.
F.A.Q.
Why use a numerical derivative instead of closed-form convexity formulas?
Numerical derivatives avoid algebraic mistakes and provide consistent results for any payment frequency and irregular cash flows. They are simple to implement, easy to validate, and robust for production use when Δ is chosen carefully.
How should I choose the yield shift (Δ)?
Start with 1 basis point (0.0001). If results change significantly when halving Δ, test smaller Δ until values stabilize. Do not choose Δ too close to machine precision; very small Δ increases rounding noise. For reporting-level precision, perform a convergence test.
Are results suitable for regulatory or accounting reporting?
This tool provides approximations intended for analysis and validation. For formal regulatory reporting, follow your organization's validation procedures and reconciliations. Maintain audit trails and apply controls consistent with ISO 9001 quality management and applicable regulator guidance.
What are the known limits of this calculator?
It assumes fixed coupons, fixed maturity and parallel yield shifts. It does not model embedded options, stochastic rates, or credit events. For callable or putable bonds, use an appropriate option-adjusted model.
Sources & citations
- NIST - Numerical Methods and Software Guidance — https://www.nist.gov
- ISO 9001 — Quality Management Systems — https://www.iso.org/iso-9001-quality-management.html
- IEEE — Standards for Software and Numerical Accuracy — https://www.ieee.org
- OSHA — Operational Risk and Safety Management Principles — https://www.osha.gov
- Bond mathematics primer (reference material) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duration_(bond)
- SEC — Securities and Exchange Commission Yield Calculation Guidance — https://www.sec.gov/rules/proposed/482.txt
- FINRA — Fixed Income and Bonds — https://www.finra.org/investors/investing/investment-products/bonds
- U.S. Treasury — Treasury Securities — https://www.treasurydirect.gov/marketable-securities/
Further resources
Versioning & Change Control
Audit record (versions, QA runs, reviewer sign-off, and evidence).
Record ID: 9f56e2ba35d0What changed (latest)
v1.0.0 • 2025-11-20 • MINOR
Initial publication and governance baseline.
Why: Published with reviewed formulas, unit definitions, and UX controls.
Public QA status
PASS — golden 25 + edge 120
Last run: 2026-01-23 • Run: golden-edge-2026-01-23
Versioning & Change Control
Audit record (versions, QA runs, reviewer sign-off, and evidence).
What changed (latest)
v1.0.0 • 2025-11-20 • MINOR
Initial publication and governance baseline.
Why: Published with reviewed formulas, unit definitions, and UX controls.
Public QA status
PASS — golden 25 + edge 120
Last run: 2026-01-23 • Run: golden-edge-2026-01-23
Engine
v1.0.0
Data
Baseline (no external datasets)
Content
v1.0.0
UI
v1.0.0
Governance
Last updated: Nov 20, 2025
Reviewed by: Fidamen Standards Committee (Review board)
Credentials: Internal QA
Risk level: low
Reviewer profile (entity)
Fidamen Standards Committee
Review board
Internal QA
Entity ID: https://fidamen.com/reviewers/fidamen-standards-committee#person
Semantic versioning
- MAJOR: Calculation outputs can change for the same inputs (formula, rounding policy, assumptions).
- MINOR: New features or fields that do not change existing outputs for the same inputs.
- PATCH: Bug fixes, copy edits, or accessibility changes that do not change intended outputs except for previously incorrect cases.
Review protocol
- Verify formulas and unit definitions against primary standards or datasets.
- Run golden-case regression suite and edge-case suite.
- Record reviewer sign-off with credentials and scope.
- Document assumptions, limitations, and jurisdiction applicability.
Assumptions & limitations
- Uses exact unit definitions from the Fidamen conversion library.
- Internal calculations use double precision; display rounding follows the unit's configured decimal places.
- Not a substitute for calibrated instruments in regulated contexts.
- Jurisdiction-specific rules may require official guidance.
Change log
v1.0.0 • 2025-11-20 • MINOR
Initial publication and governance baseline.
Why: Published with reviewed formulas, unit definitions, and UX controls.
Areas: engine, content, ui • Reviewer: Fidamen Standards Committee • Entry ID: 5ade5f4f3c4a
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duration_(bond)
- https://www.finra.org/investors/investing/investment-products/bonds
- https://www.ieee.org
- https://www.iso.org/iso-9001-quality-management.html
- https://www.nist.gov
- https://www.osha.gov
- https://www.sec.gov/rules/proposed/482.txt
- https://www.treasurydirect.gov/marketable-securities/
