Corporate Bonds Information Resources Key Terms

Learn about resources for information on corporate bonds

By Terri Deno

Corporate bonds are bonds issued by a business that are used to raise money for expansion. The maturity date of a corporate bond is a least a year from the issue date. Investors need to know a number of things before they choose to invest in corporate bonds. They go to financial information resources to gather facts about investing in this type of bond. These resources provide information on the corporations that issue bonds, the cost and the potential earnings.

Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA)

The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association is an organization that represents the financial industry. This organization provides information on resources for investors looking to put their money in bonds.
Try: The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association provides definitions for different types of bond markets including corporate bonds.

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

The Securities and Exchange Commission is the regulatory agency for financial markets. The SEC works to protect companies and individual investors from fraudulent investments.
Try: The Securities and Exchange Commission provides information on corporate bonds and links to additional resources.

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority is an independent regulator of firms that buy and sell securities in the United States. FINRA regulates more than 4,900 brokerage firms and more than 660,000 securities representatives.
Try: FINRA dedicates a section of its market data center to bonds. This section provides bond calculators, performance graphs and a glossary of terms.

Investopedia

Investopedia is an online resource for all things financial. Investopedia is a digital company created by Forbes to provide up-to-date information for the novice or expert investor.
Try: Investopedia provides information on corporate bonds, including what type of credit risk a corporate bond represents and warnings to investors.

Brokerage firm

A brokerage firm is another good source of information on corporate bonds. A brokerage firm can also provide information on the risks associated with these bonds and whether an investor should consider adding this type of investment to his or her portfolio.
Try: Fidelity provides a product overview of corporate bonds that explains the risk, benefits and costs associated with this type of investment.

Bloomberg

Bloomberg is a resource for financial information. Bloomberg covers all U.S. and world financial markets. The company also provides the latest financial headlines on its website.
Try: Bloomberg provides an overview of corporate bonds and current market values for each bond index.