Glossary of terms

In investment terms, the year end is the end of the financial year of the fund or company. It is the date to which formal financial reports are prepared.

Yield is the annual income paid to investors on an asset, expressed as a percentage of the asset's price. The asset may be a company share or a bond (the latter issued both by companies and governments). In effect, it is the interest rate an investor will receive on an investment in a share or bond.

Yield to maturity is the rate of return anticipated on a bond if it is held until the maturity date.