75) Given that the inflation rate in 2006 was about 3.24%, while a short term municipal bond offered a rate of
2.9%, which of the following statement is correct?
A) The purchasing power of investors in these bonds grew over the course of the year.
B) The real interest rate for investors in these bonds was greater than the rate of inflation.
C) Investors in these bonds were able to buy less at the end of the year than they could have purchased at
the start of the year.
D) The nominal interest rate offered by these bonds gave the true increase in purchasing power that
resulted from investing in these bonds.
76) Historically, why have high inflation rates tended to be associated with high nominal interest rates?
A) Individuals will spend more when they expect their investments to increase in value.
B) Growth in investment and savings is encouraged when consumers are judged to be overspending.
C) High inflation leads to a decrease in purchasing power and thus increases the attractiveness of
investment over consumption in the short term.
D) The real interest rate needs to be high enough so that individuals can expect their savings to have
greater purchasing power in the future than in the present.
77) When the costs of an investment come before that investment’s benefits, what will be theeffect of a rise in
interest rates on the attractiveness of that investment to potential investors?
A) It will make it more attractive, since it will increase the investment’s net present value (NPV).
B) It will make it more attractive, since it will decrease the investment’s net present value (NPV).
C) It will make it less attractive, since it will increase the investment’s net present value (NPV).
D) It will make it less attractive, since it will decrease the investment’s net present value (NPV).