Fixed income investing refers to investing in government and corporate bonds of various maturities and risk characteristics. Fixed income securities are appropriate for income-oriented investment plans. There is a wide variety of government and corporate bonds classified by coupon (e.g. fixed or floating rate), maturity, and risk. Bond markets are diverse and offer choices that can satisfy even the most complex profile in terms of risk and investment horizon. Besides predictable income flow, investing in bonds offers opportunities for capital appreciation as well.