Month: March 2022

You can add bonds to your investment portfolio to provide stability. That’s because bonds are known to be safe investments. When you invest in bonds, you’re getting a steady stream of income in times when your stocks may perform poorly. Bonds are a great way to protect your savings when you don’t want to put your assets at risk.

Key Features of Bonds

Most bonds have five features when they are issued: issue size, issue date, maturity date, maturity value, and coupon. Once bonds are issued, the sixth feature appears, which is yield to maturity. This becomes the most important figure for estimating the total yield you will receive by the time the bond matures.

Issue Size and Date

The issue date is simply the date on which a bond is issued and begins to accrue interest. The issue size of a bond offering is the number of bonds issued multiplied by the face value.

For instance, suppose an entity issues two million bonds with a $100 face value. That means the issue size is $200 million dollars. The issue size reflects the borrowing needs of the entity issuing the bonds. It also shows the market’s demand for the bond at a yield that’s acceptable to the issuer.

Maturity Date and Value

The maturity date is the date on which you can expect to have your principal repaid. It is possible to buy and sell a bond in the open market prior to its maturity date. Continue reading “Bond Basics: Issue Size and Date, Maturity Value, Coupon”

Borrowing a dog is an ideal introduction to owning one – you can try various breeds, sizes and ages before azed at the number of people who buy a puppy without doing basic research and are surprised when it moults, chews, christens the rug, runs off and generally acts like a dog.

When people tell me excitedly that they are getting a puppy – just like those fresh-faced, wide-eyed new parents-to-be – I look at them with envy and pity. Like children, dogs are capable of bringing tremendous pleasure, followed by the kind of misery that makes you want to change your name by deed poll and disappear.

We look after one, very lovable, slightly daft miniature labradoodle (see, told you) every Wednesday. Ded after the jazz musician Dily.

My children love seeing him every week. Watching them play together and then curl up on the sofa afterwards, exhausted but contented, brings a smile to my face. I also love getting my doggy-fix – taking him on walks and having sneaky cuddles when the children let me get a look in.

This dynamic works – crucial in matching a dog with a borrower

Roughly 70% of borrowers used to own a dog, while some are thinking about getting one. Photograph: y Photograph: y

Our relationship with Django is now well established and we are looking forward to having him for two weeks in the summer. In turn, his family is looking forward to a holiday in France – minus Django but knowing that he will be loved and looked after. Continue reading “As well as offering valuable hands-on experience, borrowing a dog is fun”