investment-grade Securities (= shares, bonds etc) are a fairly safe investment because they are quite likely to be repaid:
• Philadelphia was able to get investment-grade ratings for the issue because money to repay the bonds will be set aside in a special fund.
beˌlow-inˈvestment-ˌgrade FINANCE
below-investment-grade Securities have a high risk of not being repaid:
• below-investment-grade junk bonds
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investment-grade UK US adjective FINANCE
► used to describe a financial product that has low risk and will probably make a profit: »
About $1.5 billion in investment-grade corporate bonds were sold Tuesday.
»Banks make more money arranging loans for junk-rated companies than for firms with investment-grade credit ratings.
Financial and business terms. 2012.