Bond prices and interest rates move in opposite directions, so when interest rates fall, the value of fixed income investments rises, and when interest rates go up, bond prices fall in value. Interest Rates Go Up. Consider a new corporate bond that becomes available on the market in a given year with a coupon of 4 percent, called Bond A. Prevailing interest rates rise during the next 12 months, and one year later the same company issues a new bond, called Bond B, but this one has a yield of 4.5 percent. While you own the bond, the prevailing interest rate rises to 7% and then falls to 3%. 1. The prevailing interest rate is the same as the bond's coupon rate. The price of the bond is 100, meaning that buyers are willing to pay you the full $20,000 for your bond. 2. Prevailing interest rates rise to 7%.