This is because adding debt increases the default risk - and thus the interest rate that the company must pay in order to borrow money.

It is reinforced further by the fact that they have a low default risk.

On the other hand, a homeowner who has no equity is a serious default risk.

Most are safe, in the sense that there is no default risk.

The default risk on a bond is usually assessed in the form of a credit rating.

Standard & Poor's has been slow to recognise the default risk for states that give up their central bank in a currency union.

A key indicator of a particular security's default risk is its credit rating.

Because the funds invest mainly in Government securities, they have virtually no default risk.

One of the conditions for imperfect capital markets is default risk.

Money market funds, which are designed to maintain a price of $1 a share, carry little default risk, however.