Many people in our society invest in bonds. Perhaps you, reading this article, have invested in bonds at least once and are still investing now. Bank deposits are a form of bonds, just not labeled as ‘bonds.’ When you deposit your money in a bank, the money isn’t considered bank money. Interest is paid because the money isn’t withdrawn immediately. When you withdraw your deposited money, the bank must return the principal plus interest. This is essentially a bond. However, the only reason this differs from bonds as an investment asset is that these bank deposits are not traded on the market. If bank deposits were traded publicly, the interest rate would be evaluated in comparison with other deposits, even if the principal remains unchanged. Valuation reflects opportunity cost. This is the transaction value of bonds. When goods or assets are traded in the market, their value is re-evaluated. The core of value is comparison, and the tool for valuation is opportunity cost. That’s why CEOs...
Money is essentially the same, yet it creates different qualities in how it is used and transacted. In other words, the quality associated with money varies. Not all debts are created equal; there are good debts and bad debts . The quality of these debts can also be classified as good or bad, impacting sales and profits. This is similar to how paying the same amount for fruits can yield different results: one box might contain delicious fruit while another may hold tasteless ones. Thus, even when spending the same amount of money, the pleasure and satisfaction derived from the taste can vary significantly. When these differences accumulate, the utility value of money significantly affects wealth distribution , making the gap between wealth and poverty even more pronounced. Earning well, spending wisely , and borrowing judiciously greatly influence our happiness in life. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”