9. Interest rates and decisions Suppose that a firm is facing an upward-sloping yield curve and needs to borrow money to invest in production. Does this mean that the firm should consider borrowing only at short-term rates? No, an upward-sloping yield curve means that the firm will get a lower interest rate if it uses long-term financing. No, the firm needs to take the volatility of short-term rates into account. Yes, using short-term financing will give the firm the lowest possible interest rate over the life of the project. Credit ratings affect the yields on bonds. Based on the scenario described in the following table, determine whether yields will increase or decrease and whether it will be more expensive or less expensive, as compared to other players in the market, for a company to borrow money from the bond market