What are Bonds?

Bonds are debt securities and are issued by governments, municipalities, or corporations to raise capital. When one purchase a bond, they are essentially lending money to the bond issuer for a specified period of time, during which the issuer agrees to pay periodic interest payments (known as coupons) and return the principal amount at the bond’s maturity.

Key features of Bonds include:

• Issuer: Bonds can be issued by governments (government bonds), municipalities (municipal bonds), or corporations (corporate bonds).
• Face Value: It is the principal amount that the issuer promises to repay to the bondholder at maturity. It’s also known as the Par Value.
• Coupon Rate: It is the fixed interest rate that the issuer agrees to pay the bondholder periodically (usually semiannually or annually) based on the face value of the bond. This rate remains constant throughout the life of the bond.
• Maturity Date: It is the date when the bond reaches its full term, and the issuer repays the face value to the bondholder. Bonds can have short-term (less than one year), medium-term (one to ten years), or long-term (more than ten years) maturities.
• Yield: The yield represents the effective interest rate earned by an investor on a bond, taking into account its current market price, coupon payments, and maturity. Yield can fluctuate based on changes in bond prices and market interest rates.

Stocks and Bonds are both common types of investments, but they represent different ways of investing in a company. Stocks, also known as equities, represent ownership in a company; whereas, Bonds are debt securities issued by governments, municipalities, or corporations to raise capital.