Corporate bonds are issued by firms; municipal bonds are issued by cities, state bonds by U.S. States, and Treasury bonds by the federal government through the U.S.

A company's stock is divided into shares. We call a company’s first stock sale to the public the initial public offering (IPO).

venture capital — financial investments in new companies that are still relatively small in size, but that have potential to grow substantially. bond — a financial contract through which a borrower like a corporation, a city or state, or the federal government agrees to repay the amount that it borrowed and also a rate of…. Treasury bond — a bond issued by the federal government through the U.S. Department of the Treasury. initial public offering (IPO) — the first sale of shares of stock by a firm to outside investors.