The Basics of Stocks and Bonds

Understanding the fundamentals of stocks and bonds is a necessary first step for anyone considering investing. It will enable you to decide which type of investment best suits your needs and risk tolerance.

Stocks are ownership stakes in a company, offering investors ownership rights, voting power and dividends. Stocks also serve to promote capital appreciation by increasing in value over time.

What is a stock?

Stocks are investments that grant you ownership of a piece of a company. As the market price fluctuates, the value of each stock changes periodically.

Stocks are an integral component of an investment portfolio, as they offer potential returns. A variety of factors can affect stock prices, such as economic conditions in the overall economy, how well an industry performs, government policy and natural disasters.

When a company makes profit, it may distribute that money to shareholders as dividends. This could take the form of cash or shares issued or buybacks. Dividends are an excellent way for you to generate income from your investments.

What is a bond?

Bonds are investment securities that you purchase with the intention of receiving your money back within a certain period. You do this by lending your funds to either a company or government, and in return you receive interest payments until its term length has elapsed.

When you purchase a bond, the issuer promises to pay an interest rate over its life (known as a coupon), plus some portion of its original face value (known as par value). Furthermore, each bond has an expiration date when they must return principal to its holder.

Bonds can be traded on exchanges or over-the-counter with dealers. In certain markets, such as the U.S., there isn’t a centralized exchange or trading system; rather, it operates through decentralized dealer-based over-the-counter markets where liquidity is provided by market participants who contribute risk capital into trading activity.

How do stocks and bonds work?

Anyone seeking to bolster their wealth should become familiar with the basics of stocks and bonds. Both can offer excellent returns, but each comes with its own risks and potential rewards.

Stocks are shares of a company that investors buy directly from the company, becoming partial owners. They typically represent a percentage of the business’ value which may rise or fall based on changes in the market.

Bonds are loans issued by companies or governments that pay interest and return the principal on a specified maturity date. While more stable than stocks, bonds have typically provided lower long-term returns.

Given that both stocks and bonds carry their own risks, it’s wise to diversify your portfolio by owning a combination of both. A 60/40 portfolio – 60% stocks and 40% bonds – generated an average annual return of 8.8% between 1926 and 2019.

What is the difference between stocks and bonds?

Understanding the fundamentals of stocks and bonds can help you make informed decisions regarding your investment portfolio. Stocks are investments that represent part ownership in a company (also referred to as shares).

By investing in shares of a company, you are purchasing an ownership stake and the right to vote on its future direction. Stocks typically generate cash through dividend payments made to shareholders.

Bonds are debt instruments used by governments and corporations to raise cash on the public market. They pay interest to investors, with amounts varying depending on the type of bond and duration.

Stocks and bonds are both excellent ways to invest in your financial future, but they come with different risks and return potentials. Deciding which mix is best suited for you depends on your objectives, age and risk tolerance.