What characterizes a bond?

A bond is primarily characterized as a loan made by an investor to a borrower, typically a government or corporation. In essence, when an investor purchases a bond, they are lending their money to the issuer in exchange for periodic interest payments and the return of the bond's face value when it matures. This relationship is encapsulated in the bond's terms, which outline the interest rate (also called the coupon rate), maturity date, and repayment conditions.

The other options do not accurately represent the fundamental nature of bonds. For instance, bonds are distinctly different from equity investments; they do not represent ownership stakes in a company but rather a creditor relationship. Additionally, while some bonds may have variable interest rates, many bonds, particularly traditional fixed-rate bonds, have a fixed coupon rate. Lastly, bonds are not related to stocks of private companies; stocks represent ownership in a company, whereas bonds signify a debt obligation. Therefore, the defining feature of a bond is its role as a loan from an investor to the bond issuer.