Stock: The shares of a company or corporation.
Bonds: A certificate of debt issued by a government or corporation guaranteeing payment of the original investment plus interest by a specified future date.
Commodities: an article of trade or commerce, esp. a product as distinguished from a service.
While bonds generally promise a fixed return, earnings on commodities and stocks go up and down as determined by the free market.
The following companies rate the financial condition of corporations and municipalities issuing bonds. Their ratings are available online and at many public libraries.
* Standard & Poor’s
* Moody’s Investors Services
* Weiss Ratings
Some investments perform better than others in certain situations. For example, when interest rates go up, bond prices tend to go down. One industry may struggle while another prospers. Putting your money in a variety of investment options can help to reduce your risk.
The James Bond villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld is famous for stroking a white Persian cat, which became a pop culture symbol of the evil mastermind.
Hydrogen bonds between water molecules give water many of its unusual properties, like its high boiling point and the way ice floats.