With the volatility experienced in world markets over the past 18 months, many investors have sought to increase the stability of their portfolios by moving into lower risk investments such as cash and fixed interest. Over the last 18 months corporate bonds have offered attractive returns with less volatility than equities, however these investments have traditionally been out of reach of the retail investor. What are corporate bonds? Why have they not been available to retail investors, and how can retail investors now get in on the action previously reserved for institutional investors?