Use and Management of Cookies
We use cookies and other similar technologies on our website to enhance your browsing experience. For more information, please visit our Cookies Notice.
Business loans are a primary source of capital for most companies. The rate of interest payable on a business loan may be either fixed rate or variable rate. In either case, a business loan exposes the borrower to the risk of adverse movements of market interest rates.
If the market interest rate rises during the term of the loan, so does the borrowing cost.
If the market interest rate declines during the term of the loan, a company's actual borrowing cost rises due to the effect of market benchmarking.
An interest rate risk management tool enables a company to efficiently manage its interest rate cost and improve its financial planning.
Allows borrower to convert the loan's type of | Allows borrower to hedge against rising interest rates within a set limit | |
---|---|---|
(Interest Rate Swap) | (Cap) | |
Variable Rate to Fixed Rate | Fixed Rate to Variable Rate | A company that has borrowed at a variable rate and that expects rates to rise can purchase a cap, which functions as insurance against higher interest costs up to the insured rate level. |
The borrower expects interest rates to rise and attempts to reduce cost by locking in the current rate. | The borrower expects interest rates to fall and so converts a loan to variable rate in order to reduce cost. | |
Advantage Opportunity to reduce interest burden | Advantage Highly flexible, allowing client to choose whether to acquire the right for interest rate risk protection or not. | |
Limitation Potential loss if reference rate falls in the future | Limitation Potential loss if reference rate increases in the future | Limitation Client must pay a set fee, due upon signing of contract |
Remark: Client may choose an interest rate swap without terminating the existing loan contract. |