basis point

American  

noun

Finance.

1. one hundredth of one percent, as of interest rates, or investment yields.

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basis point British  

noun

1. a measure used for describing interest rates, equal to one hundredth of a percentage point (0.01%)

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Etymology

Origin of basis point

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

In Britain, 10-year Gilt yields traded as the highest levels since 2008 on Friday, extending a 50 basis point surge over the past two sessions, following hawkish rate signals from the Bank of England.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

The iTraxx Europe Senior Financials index of euro investment-grade financial bonds credit default swaps declines 1 basis point to 64bps, S&P Global Market Intelligence data show.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

The 10-year yield was up 0.8 basis point at 4.143%, while the 30-year yield rose 1.1 basis points to 4.782%, according to Tradeweb.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

Its guidance for an 80 to 100 basis point improvement in margins this year came in slightly ahead of expectations.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 26, 2026

The company expects “ongoing elevated legal expenses” will represent a roughly 200 basis point headwind to its adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, or Ebitda, margin in the first quarter.

From Barron's • Feb. 11, 2026