High-Yield Bond

Glossary

High-Yield Bond

A type of corporate debt instrument that pays a higher rate of interest than investment-grade bonds because it is issued by a company with a greater risk of defaulting on its debt payments. High-yield bonds are rated below “BBB” by S&P or below “Baa” by Moody’s, and are sometimes called “junk bonds.” While the higher interest payments can be appealing, investors face a greater risk of not receiving all promised payments – or of losing their principal – if the issuer defaults. See Credit Rating Agency, Default Risk

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