This engaging book offers a primer on stocks and bonds, using easy-to-understand language to explain how they function and why they are important. It will be a valuable resource for both economics students and readers interested in investing.

Although news outlets provide daily updates on stock market performance, many Americans have little understanding of how stocks and stock exchanges work. Yet stocks, along with government and corporate bonds, represent two key cornerstones of modern economics. While the average American may think of them as simply two types of investments, stocks and bonds have impacts on the economy that go far beyond the realm of personal finance.

The latest volume in Greenwood's new Student Guides to Business and Economics series, Stocks and Bonds gives readers an in-depth yet reader-friendly look at these integral components of the U.S. and global economy. It explores the different types of bonds, how stocks and stock exchanges work, and why periodic crashes and crises occur. It explains fundamental concepts such as risk versus return, interest rates, and behavioral economics, using real-world examples to illustrate key points. It also provides practical tried-and-true recommendations for investing in stocks and bonds.