DURATION, in securities, is a measure in years of interest rate risk for a specific security or portfolio. Duration is the weighted average time to receive the present value of cash flows from a specific security or portfolio. When the duration is divided by the discount rate plus one, the resulting modified duration measures the sensitivity of a bond to changes in interest rates. Used by bond managers instead of maturity as it accounts for all principal and interest cash flows in addition to the final maturity payment. For example, the duration of a 10-year zero-coupon bond equals its maturity of 10, while the duration of a 10-year 7.5% coupon bond is less than seven years.
CONSUMPTION SMOOTHING is aimed at protecting consumption patterns from the impact of shocks, and can take effect either before or after their occurrence. Post-shock responses include modifying consumption, raising income by mobilizing labor or selling assets, drawing on informal or formal sources of savings, or activating claims on informal insurance mechanisms.
NOL see Net Operating Loss.
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