Nominal interest rate is defined as which of the following?

• A. The interest rate actually paid for a loan.
• B. The interest rate adjusted for inflation.
• C. The expected inflation rate.
• D. The real return on savings.

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that the nominal interest rate is the rate you actually pay or earn in current money terms, before any adjustment for inflation. It’s the contractually stated rate you see quoted by lenders, not altered by changes in purchasing power. That’s why this choice is correct. The rate adjusted for inflation is the real interest rate, which removes the effect of rising prices. The expected inflation rate refers to what inflation is anticipated to be, not the borrowing cost itself. The real return on savings is the yield after inflation, not the nominal rate.