Bond Rating Explained What It Is How It Works Why It Matters
3431 reads · Last updated: January 10, 2026
Bond Rating is a credit rating assigned by professional rating agencies to evaluate the credit quality and debt repayment ability of bond issuers. Bond ratings aim to help investors assess the credit risk of bonds, i.e., whether the issuer can make timely interest payments and repay the principal. Ratings are typically categorized into investment grade and speculative grade, with investment grade indicating lower credit risk and speculative grade indicating higher credit risk. Bonds with higher ratings generally offer lower interest rates due to lower credit risk, while bonds with lower ratings need to offer higher interest rates to attract investors.
