MEPX
Chapter 6 of 10All chapters

Chapter 6 of 10

Compounding frequency

Annual, monthly, daily.

The effect

The same stated rate compounded more often produces slightly more growth. 12 percent compounded monthly gives about 12.68 percent over a year.

  • APR and AER exist so products with different frequencies can be compared honestly.
  • Beyond daily, the extra gain becomes negligible.

Reading a product

Always compare the annual equivalent rate rather than the headline. A higher stated rate with less frequent compounding can be worth less.