A year ago, Antonio bought a perpetual bond paying annual coupons of $9\mathrm{.}0\%.$ When he bought the bond, a coupon payment had just been made and the yield $($required rate of return$)$ on the bond was $7\mathrm{.}12\%$ pa$.$ Antonio sold the bond exactly one year after he bought it$.$ At the time of the sale, the yield on the bond was $6\mathrm{.}96\%$ pa$.$

Antonio$$s rate of return on his investment was closest to:

$($A$)2\mathrm{.}30\%$ pa

$($B$)6\mathrm{.}96\%$ pa

$($C$)7\mathrm{.}12\%$ pa

$($D$)9\mathrm{.}42\%$ pa

Group of answer choices

A

B

C

D