junk bond, a bond that involves greater than usual risk as an investment and pays a relatively high rate of interest, typically issued by a company lacking an established earnings history or having a questionable credit history. Junk bonds became a common means for raising business capital in the 1980s, when they were used to help finance the purchase of companies, especially by leveraged buyouts; the sale of junk bonds continued to be used in the 1990s to generate capital. See also Milken, Michael.
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