We'll also provide a brief primer on the difference between investment-grade and junk bond securities. Image source: Getty Images. Although their rating systems differ slightly in terms of the ...

Triple-A (AAA or Aaa) is the highest credit quality, and C or D (depending on the agency issuing the rating) is the lowest or junk quality. Bonds are debt securities that are sold to raise funds ...

Default rates for junk bond issuers soared to 13.7% in 2009 ... but high yield default rates are now absolutely tiny, at just 1%. Fitch Ratings: The pace of high yield defaults has slowed so ...