Bonds - also referred to as fixed interest or fixed income - are debt securities that are essentially loans. These loans are typically issued by governments or companies to finance their operations, or to facilitate expansion.
Bonds, like stocks, are actively traded by investors around the world. They are purchased by governments and institutions, while bond funds offer retail investors a chance to access a diversified portfolio of fixed income securities.
How can financial advisers make sure the bond fund they recommend meets the requirements of their investors?
This guide tackles the features of bonds, the pros and cons of bond funds, what ratings from the various agencies mean, and who should consider investing in these funds.
Answers have been supplied by Gareth Isaac, fixed income fund manager at Schroders; Alex Robertson, client portfolio manager of Royal London Asset Management; David Hooker, manager of the Insight Strategic bond and index-linked corp bond for BNY Mellon; and Annemarieke Christian, product specialist at Legg Mason.