In
investment, the term risk can be defined as the possibility of the investor
losing all or part of their capital in a given venture. High quality bonds
are considered lower risk because the the investor is promised to receive
face value after a certain period unlike stocks that do not carry the same
promise. Returns on high quality bonds are also guaranteed in the form of
fixed interest rates whereas in stocks, a company may pay dividends but this
is not an obligation on their part. Lastly bonds are safer investment as they
are less susceptible to abnormal price changes unlike stocks whose prices can
easily swing in either direction.
