human
I'd like to know the difference between a stock and a bond.
assistant
A stock is a security that represents ownership in a company, and gives its owner a claim on any future profits of that company. It is usually issued by a publicly-traded company and traded on an exchange or over-the-counter market. A bond is a type of debt instrument which represents an obligation to repay the principal amount along with interest at maturity. Bonds are typically issued by governments, companies, or other organizations, and traded in secondary markets.