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United Kingdom
Key definition
Bonds definition

What does Bonds mean? Bonds are tradable debt securities that record an issuer’s promise to repay principal at maturity and pay interest (a fixed or floating coupon) to investors. They are used in legal practice to raise medium to long‑term finance for governments (UK gilts; Irish government bonds), corporates, banks and public bodies, typically documented by a trust deed or agency agreement and an offering document or prospectus. Key legal features include face value, coupon, maturity, transferability (usually in registered or global form through clearing systems), ranking (senior or subordinated), and whether the bond is secured or unsecured; covenants and events of default...

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Key features of investment-grade, high-yield and crossover bonds: yields, covenants, maturities, guarantees and regulatory considerations

Practice notes
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What are investment-grade, high yield and crossover bonds?

Investment grade (IG) bonds are debt instruments that hold an IG credit rating: BBB and above on the S&P and Fitch scales, and Baa3 and above on the Moody’s scale (for further detail on credit ratings, see Practice Note: Credit ratings). IG issuers are usually sizeable blue‑chip corporates—well‑known, well‑established and well‑capitalised—and are often companies with shares listed on a major stock exchange. Aside from sovereign bonds of developed markets, IG securities are widely regarded as among the safest income‑generating investments. As a consequence of this perceived safety, IG bonds tend to offer lower yields than high yield (HY) bonds. Many institutional investors and pension schemes operate policies and mandates that constrain their bond holdings to assets with, on average, lower default risk, such as IG instruments or government obligations. In broad terms, HY bonds encompass all bonds from issuers rated below IG. HY issuers may include public companies that lack (or previously had but later lost) an IG rating, private companies or acquisition...

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Ahmed Yacout
Ahmed Yacout

Ahmed is an associate in Freshfields’ global transactions group with a particular focus on high yield bond offerings. Ahmed regularly represents issuers, underwriters and creditors in connection with high-yield and investment grade bond offerings, equity offerings, debt restructurings and LBO financings....

Shruti Dusaj
Shruti Dusaj

Shruti is a senior associate in Freshfields’ global transactions group with a particular focus on high yield bond offerings. Shruti regularly represents issuers, underwriters and creditors in connection with high-yield bond offerings, debt restructurings, liability management exercises, LBO financings and other corporate finance transactions, across a range of jurisdictions. Shruti’s practice also includes advising issuers and underwriters on equity offerings, including IPOs....

Simone Bono
Simone Bono chambers

Simone Bono is a partner in Freshfields' high yield practice. She has extensive experience representing financial sponsors, underwriters and issuers in high yield bond offerings, leveraged buy-outs, debt restructurings and other corporate finance transactions. Before joining the firm, she practiced in New York for 10 years focusing on high-yield and other corporate finance transactions....

Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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