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

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

Elevated legal expenses are projected to be a 200 basis point headwind to Zillow’s Q1 adjusted Ebitda margin and 100 basis points for the full year.

From Barron's • Feb. 11, 2026

The 10-year Treasury yield was up one basis point at 4.220%, according to Tradeweb data.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 27, 2026