The solution that's been adopted, which dishonours senior bonds and large deposits, is likely to raise red flags
But issuers paying third-party agencies for credit ratings can't stop, some say, until there is a better model for rating bond issues
Clients who want to sustain yield have to accept the credit risk in bond markets in which interest rates are higher
More and more forecasts say government bonds should start producing positive real returns soon. That means the prices of existing bonds will tumble
Political stability is sure to have an impact on interest rates, and thus also affect bond prices and yields
Provincial bonds have been overlooked in the past few years, but they offer healthy returns combined with a low risk of default
The market for so-called "junk" bonds is relatively strong and stable currently, there are attractive high-yield bonds in the resources sector, as well as good values to be had in the BRIC economies
Investment-grade corporate bonds are still generating reasonable income, while government bonds provide safety and risk aversion. These qualities are much in demand during this time of significant economic uncertainty
The Canadian dollar's classification as a "reserve currency" will enhance the visibility of Canada's government bonds
The prices of solid bond issues can fall precipitously during market downturns, as they did during the recent stock market collapse of 2008