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 an industry where every basis point matters and fund flows follow performance, index providers have strong commercial incentives not to miss the next stock-market superstar.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026

The 10-year Bund was up 1 basis point at 2.971%.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

The two-year Treasury yield fell 0.9 basis points to 3.986% and the 10-year yield was down 1 basis point at 4.460%, according to Tradeweb.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

The two-year Treasury yield rose 1 basis point to 3.791%; the 10-year yield was up 0.6 bp at 4.298% and the 30-year yield edged up 0.3 bp to 4.900%, according to Tradeweb.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Tighter financial conditions and energy costs are projected to cause a 100 basis point economic downshift, which is seen as necessary to lower long-term inflation.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026