Accrued interest calculation

Fixed Income Technicals

Learning Outcome

5

Calculate accrued interest over time.

4

Differentiate clean and dirty prices.

3

Relate accrued interest to coupon dates.

2

Learn why interest accrues between coupons.

1

Understand accrued interest in bonds.

What is Accrued Interest?

Accrued Interest (AI) is the interest that has accumulated on a bond from the last coupon payment date up to, but not including, the settlement date of a trade. It represents interest that has been earned but not yet paid out.

📌 Clean Price (Quoted Price): 
The price of the bond excluding accrued interest. This is what you see on Bloomberg or exchange terminals.

Clean Price = Dirty Price - Accrued Interest

📌 Dirty Price (Invoice / Settlement Price): 
The actual amount the buyer pays. It includes both the clean price and the accrued interest.  

 

Dirty Price = Clean Price + Accrued Interest

The Accrued Interest Formula

The standard formula for calculating accrued interest is:

Accrued Interest Formula

AI = Face Value × Coupon Rate × (Days Accrued ÷ Day Count Basis)

Worked Example

Given Information

Face Value

₹ 1,00,000

Coupon Rate

9% per annum

Coupon Frequency

Semi-annual (every 6 months)

Last Coupon Date

1 January 2025

Settlement Date

1 March 2025

Day Count Convention

Actual/365

Step-by-Step Calculation

Step 1:  Days Accrued = 1 Jan 2025 to 1 Mar 2025 = 59 days

Step 2:  AI = ₹1,00,000 × 9% × (59 ÷ 365)

Step 3:  AI = ₹1,00,000 × 0.09 × 0.16164

Accrued Interest = ₹ 1,454.79

Summary

5

Dirty Price = Clean Price + Accrued Interest.

4

Accrued interest increases daily until the next coupon payment.

3

Bond buyers compensate sellers for accrued interest.

2

It is calculated from the last coupon date to the current date.

1

Accrued interest is the interest earned but not yet paid.

Quiz

Accrued interest is calculated from:

A. Bond issue date

B. Maturity date

C. Last coupon date till current date

D. Next coupon date

Quiz-Answer

Accrued interest is calculated from:

A. Bond issue date

B. Maturity date

C. Last coupon date till current date

D. Next coupon date

Fixed Income Portfolio Strategy - Accrued interest calculation

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Fixed Income Portfolio Strategy - Accrued interest calculation

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