While I am thankful for being here on this occasion, I am also a little daunted by the task of having to say something useful which may be of interest to this varied audience from so many different walks of life.
Financial instruments are pieces of paper that provide evidence of a financial obligation or promise to pay the buyer at some future date. The buyer is known as an investor. The sellers of these instruments are usually businesses who want to raise long term funds for their various projects. Investments can earn the investor a regular income in the form of interest or dividends.