Bonds do not have the same market place volatility that the share market does. The attraction of bonds is their predictability that your investment will pay back a return, albeit not as high as shares during a bull run. A bond is your play safe option where you cannot afford to lose money, as can happen in the share market.
There are many types of bonds available. A bond is issued by either the government of a corporation. When you are considering purchasing a bond you need to look into the various aspects that make up the bond. The coupon rate is the amount of profit you will make from purchasing the bond on a yearly basis until the bond matures. This coupon rate needs to be measured against other available returns for your investment dollar. Again this comparison should be done with a risk analysis on whether you will retrieve and secure the return on your investment. Often higher returns mean more risk to your investment and the return on investment. The end result should be a comparison of the yield your investment can expect to return to you. The frequency of payment of monthly, quarterly, yearly needs to be aligned to your financial needs.
Another consideration is how long can you afford your investment to be locked in for, which means you cannot access it. If you need money quickly, then investing in bonds may not be the right vehicle for you. The actual price of the bond is another important consideration as is its par value. The par value is the initial investment amount, usually it is about one thousand dollars. When economic times are difficult investors will naturally flock to bonds as they are seen as a safe haven for money, when economic times are good, people take on more risk, hence more money is placed on the share market and investment opportunities offering higher returns for higher risks.
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