Buying and selling bonds

J-C Bailly
J-C Bailly Member ✭✭
edited July 2020 in Investing (Windows)
I am not exactly new to Quicken... but there is one thing that I have yet to be able to understand regarding the buying and selling of bonds:
Bonds values are expressed as a percentage 102%, 96% etc... If I use the above in "Buy Bonds", I just cannot make my records match with the reality because entering the purchase of 25'000 Bonds XYZ at 102.45% in Quicken gives me: 25'612'500.
I have to type 0.10245 to get the real value of 25'612.50
However, on the ledger it shows that I bought 250'000 shares (instead of 25'000) at 0.10245 (instead of 102.45%).
To circumvent this, I have been using "buy shares" and fill up the security details as "Bonds", so as to be able to keep my books at their correct level of actual Bonds and Values.
When updating the value of my Bonds, I would use for example 1.0245 (to take the same example as above) for 102.45%.
Could someone kindly explain to me what my comprehension does not grasp, please, what is Quicken rationale for this kind of operation?
Many thanks.

Best Answer

Answers

  • J-C Bailly
    J-C Bailly Member ✭✭
    Thank you, I believe the explanation you give demonstrate that bonds are sold according to different rules in different countries. I have only Canadian and European bonds and those generally come in groups of 5'000 at 100% upon release and then the percentage will vary according to risks and market trends, but any way I tried, I could never actually use the Quicken "BuyBond" tool since the calculation is totally off and, like you, I compromised by using the "Buy Shares" tool that is also forcing you to enter an expense when buying the interests, and a revenue when selling the same.
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