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In yet another case of food contamination, five samples from five different outlets of US fast food retail giant <keyword id="6376241" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="KFC">KFC</keyword> have been found to contain harmful <keyword id="52657" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="pathogens">pathogens</keyword>, <keyword id="396235" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="salmonella">salmonella</keyword> and <keyword id="101875" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="E-coli">E Coli</keyword> bacteria, reported TOI. The <keyword id="2920393" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Telangana-State-Food-Laboratory">Telangana State Food Laboratory</keyword> (SFL), which conducted the test on the request of NGO Balala Hakula Sangham, called the samples "unsafe". The US fast food giant, however, rejected the findings and denied any knowledge of the samples being collected from its outlets. The SFL is a part of the Hyderabad-based <keyword id="177658" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Institute-of-Preventive-Medicine">Institute of Preventive Medicine</keyword>. The report, dated June 24, filed by SFL food analyst AV <keyword id="346457" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Krishna-Kumari">Krishna Kumari</keyword> said: "I am of the opinion that the samples contain E.Coli and salmonella, which are pathogens and injurious to health. It is, therefore, unsafe." 

	"We took the samples from Himayatnagar, Vidyanagar, Chikkadpally, Nacharam and ECIL X Road on June 18 and sent it to the state food laboratory the same day in packed and sealed condition in the original KFC snack box," Anuradha Rao, president of the NGO, told TOI. 
 

	KFC in turn questioned the conditions under which the samples were taken for the test. KFC further said it did not receive any intimation from any authority over the issue. 
 

	It said in a statement: "This alleged report is a case of false allegation. We have no knowledge of the sample being collected from any of our stores and in what condition it has been transported for this alleged test. This is a perishable food item meant for immediate consumption." 
 On Thursday, the NGO at a press conference quoted the report where <keyword id="2920392" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="FSL-food-analyst">FSL food analyst</keyword> AV Krishna Kumari specifically sought to clear doubts of any tampering by stating: "Sample received in sealed and labeled card box kept in brown colour paper." While the NGO sought an immediate ban on KFC products, K Balaji Raju, the designated food safety officer (DFSO) in charge of central zone of <keyword id="75378" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Greater-Hyderabad-Municipal-Corporation">Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation</keyword> (GHMC) clarified that his department cannot take action if food samples are tested independently by an NGO. 

	"Only when the food samples lifted by our department turns out to be positive in food safety lab for any contamination, it can result in an action against the defaulter from our side," he said. 
 

	KFC claimed it maintains the highest standards of hygiene. 

	 
	(Image: Reuters)

KFC food samples contain harmful bacteria: Govt. report

Mumbai, the ‘City of dreams,’ is living up to its name. It continues to fulfil dreams and aspirations of people migrating to the city in search of jobs and entrepreneurial ambitions. The city with its developed infrastructure, easy connectivity and access to public amenities makes it an ideal location for migrants to settle down. Mumbai is one of the expensive real estate markets in the country, however a whole host of factors at play currently have made buying a house in this city an affordable option for many. Reputed developers that assure quality homes and timely delivery coupled with lowest-ever home loan interest rates in the past two decades, have fuelled this trend of increased sales in the city. A recent Q1 2021 report of Indian real estate by ANAROCK, India’s leading independent real estate services company clearly indicates that the sales of homes in the top seven cities in India in this period have surpassed Q1 2020 by almost 29% at 58,920 units. This is significantly higher than the pre-covid levels, which indicates an economic resurrection of sorts. Lending credence to the theory that economic recovery is not a flash in the <keyword id="61610" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="pan">pan</keyword> is that the high sale of residences is accompanied by an increase in their launches too which clearly indicates that this is a robust trend. The seven cities in Q1 2021 saw the launch of 62,130 residential units, higher by 18% in the previous quarter and 51% on a year-on-year basis. The group of the top seven cities in India comprises <keyword id="6371638" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="national-capital-region">National Capital Region</keyword> (NCR), Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Bengaluru, <keyword id="2094" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pune">Pune</keyword>, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata. This uptick in the sales of homes in the seven cities was primarily led by MMR and Pune, who together accounted for 31, 227 units which is 53% of all the residential units sold in the quarter under consideration. The MMR region comprises nine Municipal Corporations of Greater Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan-Dombivali, Ulhasnagar, Bhiwandi, Vasai-Virar, Mira-Bhayander and <keyword id="60623" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Panvel">Panvel</keyword>. The MMR region also includes nine <keyword id="11620254" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="municipal-councils-of-palghar-ambarnath">Municipal Councils of Palghar, Ambarnath</keyword>, Badlapur, Karjat, Khopoli, Pen, Uran, Alibaug and Matheran. MMR alone recorded a sale of 20,350 residential units which was 35% of the total sales of 58,920 units in the set of seven cities under deliberation. This makes MMR the largest market for residential sales in the country. This sale of residential units in MMR was higher by 16% than the Q4-20 period and higher by 46% on a y-on-y basis. From a launch perspective too, MMR had the largest share with 14,820 launches in FY1 2021. This amounts to 24% of all 62,130 launches in the country during this period. While the growth in the country in terms of launches was 18% on a Q-to-Q basis and 51% on a yearly basis. The change in Mumbai was higher than the national averages. The launches in Mumbai grew by 24% on a Q-to-Q basis and 41% on a year-to-year basis. MMR had 11,910 new launches in the previous quarter and 10,490 in the quarter last year of new residential units. From an inventory perspective, i.e.available units for sale, the MMR region has the highest number at 1,97,040 of residential units in Indian cities. The top seven cities in the country have a total inventory base of 6,41,860 homes for sale of which the MMR region has 31%. These indications point out to the trend that the demand for residential properties in MMR continues to be strong and will enhance its position as one of the best cities in the country to live in. With developers offering multiple payment options, low interest rate regime and discounts which influence the buyer decision, the aspiration to own a home in Mumbai continues to be strong. The strong upward trend in sale and launch numbers in MMR denote that the residential sector in Mumbai is recovering and gently recuperating from the pandemic induced lows. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Mumbai, the ‘City of dreams,’ is living up to its name. It continues to fulfil dreams and aspirations of people migrating to the city in search of jobs and entrepreneurial ambitions. The city with its developed infrastructure, easy connectivity and access to public amenities makes it an ideal location for migrants to settle down. Mumbai is one of the expensive real estate markets in the country, however a whole host of factors at play currently have made buying a house in this city an affordable option for many. Reputed developers that assure quality homes and timely delivery coupled with lowest-ever home loan interest rates in the past two decades, have fuelled this trend of increased sales in the city. A recent Q1 2021 report of Indian real estate by ANAROCK, India’s leading independent real estate services company clearly indicates that the sales of homes in the top seven cities in India in this period have surpassed Q1 2020 by almost 29% at 58,920 units. This is significantly higher than the pre-covid levels, which indicates an economic resurrection of sorts. Lending credence to the theory that economic recovery is not a flash in the pan is that the high sale of residences is accompanied by an increase in their launches too which clearly indicates that this is a robust trend. The seven cities in Q1 2021 saw the launch of 62,130 residential units, higher by 18% in the previous quarter and 51% on a year-on-year basis. The group of the top seven cities in India comprises National Capital Region (NCR), Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata. This uptick in the sales of homes in the seven cities was primarily led by MMR and Pune, who together accounted for 31, 227 units which is 53% of all the residential units sold in the quarter under consideration. The MMR region comprises nine Municipal Corporations of Greater Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan-Dombivali, Ulhasnagar, Bhiwandi, Vasai-Virar, Mira-Bhayander and Panvel. The MMR region also includes nine Municipal Councils of Palghar, Ambarnath, Badlapur, Karjat, Khopoli, Pen, Uran, Alibaug and Matheran. MMR alone recorded a sale of 20,350 residential units which was 35% of the total sales of 58,920 units in the set of seven cities under deliberation. This makes MMR the largest market for residential sales in the country. This sale of residential units in MMR was higher by 16% than the Q4-20 period and higher by 46% on a y-on-y basis. From a launch perspective too, MMR had the largest share with 14,820 launches in FY1 2021. This amounts to 24% of all 62,130 launches in the country during this period. While the growth in the country in terms of launches was 18% on a Q-to-Q basis and 51% on a yearly basis. The change in Mumbai was higher than the national averages. The launches in Mumbai grew by 24% on a Q-to-Q basis and 41% on a year-to-year basis. MMR had 11,910 new launches in the previous quarter and 10,490 in the quarter last year of new residential units. From an inventory perspective, i.e.available units for sale, the MMR region has the highest number at 1,97,040 of residential units in Indian cities. The top seven cities in the country have a total inventory base of 6,41,860 homes for sale of which the MMR region has 31%. These indications point out to the trend that the demand for residential properties in MMR continues to be strong and will enhance its position as one of the best cities in the country to live in. With developers offering multiple payment options, low interest rate regime and discounts which influence the buyer decision, the aspiration to own a home in Mumbai continues to be strong. The strong upward trend in sale and launch numbers in MMR denote that the residential sector in Mumbai is recovering and gently recuperating from the pandemic induced lows. What lies ahead? While concerns over the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic loom large, India has picked up the pace of vaccinations, which could provide comfort and hence the impact on the economy may not be as bad as earlier. The government seems better prepared to deal with situations arising from this pandemic, and avoid any large-scale lockdowns that hurt the economy. Buying a house is the ultimate life goal for many and this pandemic has reaffirmed the importance of owning one. It is therefore expected that the homebuyer confidence in Mumbai’s residential market will continue to be strong. Experts believe that this confidence will propel home buying and possibly lead to home prices firming up especially with the festive season being around the corner. The extension of fiscal benefits by the Government, the continuation of the soft interest rate regime by the RBI making home loans easily accessible and affordable, discounts and better amenities by the developers will keep buyer traffic in Mumbai strong. However, this situation is not expected to last long as the high input costs which the developers have been absorbing so far are eventually passed on to the home buyers. There is uncertainty about the continuance of the low-interest rates too as inflation hovers in the background of strong home demand that might lead to a rise in home prices in the MMR region. Experts believe in light of these possibilities the right time to get the dream house is now. Disclaimer: This is a sponsored article in partnership with Lodha Group" comment="subhead" text="What lies ahead?">What lies ahead?</cmsannotation> While concerns over the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic loom large, India has picked up the pace of vaccinations, which could provide comfort and hence the impact on the economy may not be as bad as earlier. The government seems better prepared to deal with situations arising from this pandemic, and avoid any large-scale lockdowns that hurt the economy. Buying a house is the ultimate life goal for many and this pandemic has reaffirmed the importance of owning one. It is therefore expected that the homebuyer confidence in Mumbai’s residential market will continue to be strong. Experts believe that this confidence will propel home buying and possibly lead to home prices firming up especially with the festive season being around the corner. The extension of fiscal benefits by the Government, the continuation of the soft interest rate regime by the RBI making home loans easily accessible and affordable, discounts and better amenities by the developers will keep buyer traffic in Mumbai strong. However, this situation is not expected to last long as the high input costs which the developers have been absorbing so far are eventually passed on to the home buyers. There is uncertainty about the continuance of the low-interest rates too as inflation hovers in the background of strong home demand that might lead to a rise in home prices in the MMR region. Experts believe in light of these possibilities the right time to get the dream house is now. Disclaimer: This is a sponsored article in partnership with Lodha Group SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/amazon-ecommerce-website-is-down-as-the-company-is-hit-by-a-massive-outage/articleshow/84335580.cms">Amazon India product pages are down across the website as buyers begin their Monday morning shopping</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/hero-electric-raises-220-crore-to-sell-over-a-million-electric-scooters-a-year/articleshow/84335696.cms">Hero Electric raises ₹220 crore to sell over a million electric scooters a year</a>

Housing market in 2021: Mumbai tops all-India residential sales in the first quarter

New Delhi, <keyword id="10475830" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="smartphone-brand-oppo">Smartphone brand OPPO</keyword> on Tuesday announced to set up first <keyword id="764355" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="5G">5G</keyword> innovation lab at its Hyderabad R&amp;D centre, adding that it will soon introduce three additional innovation labs dedicated towards camera, <keyword id="44011" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="power">power</keyword> and battery and performance. The company said that these labs will focus on making the latest and the most <keyword id="599504" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Advanced-technologies">advanced technologies</keyword> for the world. The team in India will also lead innovations for other countries, including Middle East, Africa, South Asia, Japan, and Europe. The new lab will deepen the development of core product technologies for 5G ecosystem and accelerate its rollout in the country. "With this lab setup, while we work towards developing core technologies for 5G era and strengthen the overall ecosystem, we also aim to support India in its 5G journey," said Tasleem Arif, Vice President &amp; Head, <keyword id="10475829" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="rd-oppo-india">R&amp;D OPPO India</keyword>. "The technologies developed at the lab will mark a global footprint while promising our vision to make India an innovation hub". The Hyderabad hub, first-ever R&amp;D centre outside of China, is playing a pivotal role in the development of 5G technologies. The India R&amp;D team of <keyword id="1731609" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Oppo">OPPO</keyword> is also working closely with leading industry chain partners like Jio, Airtel, Qualcomm, MediaTek, among others. In line with OPPO's commitment to Make in India, the manufacturing at Greater Noida plant has been increased to 50 million smartphones per year. According to Japanese research institution NGB Corporation, the brand is among the top 10 companies regarding the number of declared 5G patent families. OPPO said it has deployed its 5G standard patents in over 20 countries. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/top-stocks-to-watch-spicejet-interglobe-aviation-tata-motors-pfizer-asian-paints-niit-lupin-and-others/articleshow/79849749.cms">Top stocks to watch – SpiceJet, InterGlobe Aviation, Tata Motors, Pfizer, Asian Paints, NIIT, Lupin, and others</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/how-to-check-mrs-bectors-food-specialities-ipo-allotment-status-online/articleshow/79808672.cms?upcache=2">Mrs Bectors Food Specialities IPO allotment today: Here’s how to check share allotment status</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/cryptocurrency-exchange-coindcx-raises-13-9-million-funding/articleshow/79850829.cms">Cryptocurrency exchange CoinDCX has raised $20 million since the pandemic broke out⁠ — the founder says he is hiring aggressively as volumes have tripled</a>

Oppo to set up its first 5G innovation lab in Hyderabad

<ul><li>This is the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic in March that the state has registered over 3,000 new cases in a single day. It came a day after the state saw the biggest jump of 2,579 new Covid cases</li><li>Officials explained that the number of cases increased with the ramping up of tests. During the last 24 hours, the state conducted 61,040 tests, breaking the previous day's record of 52,933 tests.</li><li>According to a media bulletin issued from the office of the Director of Public Health and Family Welfare, this has taken the total number of tests done so far to 10,82,094.</li></ul>In the biggest single-day spike, Telangana on Wednesday reported 3,018 new Covid-19 cases, taking the state's tally to 1,11,688. The death toll also rose to 780 with 10 more people succumbing to the virus during the last 24 hours, officials said. This is the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic in March that the state has registered over 3,000 new cases in a single day. It came a day after the state saw the biggest jump of 2,579 new Covid cases. Officials explained that the number of cases increased with the ramping up of tests. During the last 24 hours, the state conducted 61,040 tests, breaking the previous day's record of 52,933 tests. According to a media bulletin issued from the office of the Director of Public Health and Family Welfare, this has taken the total number of tests done so far to 10,82,094. Under flak from various quarters for its poor testing, the Telangana government doubled the daily number of tests. During the last four days, over 1.90 lakh tests were conducted. A total of 16 government and 31 private laboratories are conducting RT-PCR/CBNAAT/TRUENAT types of tests while there are 1,076 rapid antigen test centres. However, the authorities have not been providing breakup of the type of tests conducted. The samples tested per million population mounted to 29,146 against a daily testing target of 5,600 per day as per the World Health Organisation (WHO) benchmark of 140 per million per day. The results of 1,176 samples were awaited. Health officials said the case fatality rate in the state came down further to 0.69 per cent against the national average of 1.84 per cent. Out of the total fatalities, 53.87 per cent had comorbidities. The number of cases in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) spiked on Wednesday with the increase in overall numbers. The state capital reported 475 cases against 295 the previous day. Medchal Malkajgiri and Rangareddy district abutting GHMC reported 204 and 247 new cases respectively. Sangareddy, another district bordering the state capital, saw 88 new cases. Outside the GHMC and surrounding districts, Nalgonda was the worst affected district with 190 new cases followed by Khammam with 161 cases, Warangal Urban with 139 cases, Nizamabad with 136 cases, and Karimnagar 127 cases. Jagtiyal reported 100 new infections, Bhadradri Kothagudem 95, Siddipet 88, Peddapalli 85 and <keyword id="364763" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mahabubabad">Mahabubabad</keyword> 60. During the last 24 hours, 1,060 people recovered from Covid, taking the total number of recoveries to 85,223. The state's recovery rate stands at 76.30 per cent against the national average of 75.92 per cent. The number of active cases in the state stands at 25,685 including 19,113 in home/institutional isolation. Age wise Covid positive details show that 65.3 per cent of those tested positive were in the age group of 21-50 years. Terming this as a susceptible age group, authorities have urged them not to go out unless absolutely necessary. They were advised to strictly exercise precautions like wearing face masks and maintain physical distancing. Among Covid positive cases, 24.71 per cent are above 51 years of age. About 10 per cent were aged below 20 years. Officials said 64.41 per cent of those tested positive were male, while the remaining 35.59 per cent were female. According to the media bulletin, out of 20,396 beds in the government-run hospitals, 17,958 beds were vacant. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/oxford-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-phase-ii-trials-will-begin-in-india-today/articleshow/77757085.cms">Oxford-Astrazeneca COVID-19 Vaccine: Phase II trials will begin in India today</a>

Telangana reports 3,018 new COVID-19 cases in a day

US President-elect <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Donald+Trump&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Donald Trump</a>’s new administration will continue to engage with India for the development of smart cities, a US government official told ET. 
 
During the term of President <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Barack+Obama&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Barack Obama</a>, India and the United States signed memorandums of understanding to develop three smart cities in Allahabad, Ajmer and <keyword id="60510" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Visakhapatnam">Visakhapatnam</keyword>. The US agreed to assist the cities in project planning, infrastructure development, feasibility studies and capacity building. 
 "We had initial discussions with the transition team (under new Presidency). It is still early stages but we have shared our plans and they have been included,” <keyword id="2457932" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vinay-Vijay-Singh">Vinay Vijay Singh</keyword>, deputy assistant secretary in the <keyword id="126668" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="US-Department-of-Commerce">US Department of Commerce</keyword>, told ET. 
 
However, according to Singh, there can be certain issues that can be addressed. 
 
"<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Indian+cities+&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Indian cities </a>should be enabled to have more autonomy. The mechanics between the Centre and states in India need to be worked out,” Singh said. 
 
"I know they are working hard at it. We had this (smart cities) competition and the money has gone to the states, then we go to the states and some states say we don't have the money because these things haven't been done,” he added. 
 
The companies that were already involved in India's smart cities project also showed resonance to these concerns. Ashley O'Connor, vice president, Region Business Line leader, AECOM, said that some clarity would be welcome. 
 
"In Vizag (Visakhapatnam), in particular, there were talks of a new airport. It would need significant investment, so clarity around these, what is in works and how are they working forward would be helpful for the business side,” she told ET. 
 
Singh said that US participation in development of smart cities in India is not a political initiative and the agenda is driven by the US private sector, which sees this as a growth area. 
 "We will continue to engage with all stakeholders. We will also work with multilateral institutions to help eliminate the initial risk involved in such projects,” Singh said, citing the example of US government's <keyword id="258736" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Department-of-Treasury">Department of Treasury</keyword>'s initiative with <keyword id="6354650" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pune-Municipal-Corporation">Pune Municipal Corporation</keyword> to help the city raise funds via issuance of bonds. 
 Devin Hampton, chief of staff for <keyword id="711797" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="US-Trade-Development-Agency">US Trade &amp; Development Agency</keyword>, said the focus areas for smart cities are in energy, telecom and transportation sector. 
 
"We will help identify opportunities and it is important that there should be more cities to cities contact for greater synergy on best practices,” Hampton told ET.

Under Trump’s presidency, US will continue to develop smart cities for India

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Low interest rates are challenging for income investors, as fixed-income assets pay less.</li><li>Among banking products, CDs and online savings accounts offer better yields.</li><li>Corporate, municipal, and junk bonds offer higher rates than US Treasuries, at varying degrees of risk.</li></ul>The 21st century is developing into an era of steadily declining interest rates. At the beginning of 2000, the benchmark US federal funds rate hovered around 6%; as of December 2020, it stood at 0.09%. According to the Federal Reserve, which establishes monetary policy in the United States, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fed-stimulus-asset-purchases-rates-remain-economic-recovery-jerome-powell-2021-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rates will remain near zero through at least 2023</a>.The interest rates lenders charge and that investments pay are pegged to the fed funds rate. So low interest rates have become a fixture in finance. While the scenario creates advantages for some - companies and people taking out loans, or seeking to refinance their mortgages - it can be a problem for others: <ul><li>Bank account-holders see their savings and money market accounts earning less. </li><li>Permanent-life insurance policyholders who fund their premiums out of their policies' accrued cash value might have to pay out of pocket. </li><li>Those dependent on investment income find it harder to find good, safe sources of revenue. </li></ul>Fixed-income investments, which largely attract retired people and workers nearing retirement, are particularly hard hit. Ideally, these conservative investments yield enough to cover investors' expenses while also minimizing or eliminating the need to dip into principal. But with interest rates hitting historic lows, there's a greater onus on fixed-income investors to develop alternative investment strategies to traditional deposit accounts or US Treasury bonds. And to make the numbers work, the strategy may require taking on greater risk.Here, in rough order of increasing risk, are some of the better-paying <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-fixed-income-investing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fixed-interest investment</a> options during a low or declining interest rate environment - where to go when interest rates are low.<h2>Online Savings Accounts</h2>Traditional bank savings accounts, arguably the most plain-vanilla of investments, pay approximately the same annual rate as the monthly yield on Treasury bills - which currently is close to zero, in some cases. Online savings accounts offer a slightly higher yield. The digital banks' lack of overhead allows them to pay out more than their brick-and-mortar counterparts. Just be sure the institution is FDIC-insured.<h2>Certificates of Deposit</h2>Investors sometimes also receive slightly higher rates than on savings accounts with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/are-cds-a-good-investment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">certificates of deposits (CDs</a>). The rate remains constant for the term of the <keyword id="6358954" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="cd">CD</keyword>, which varies from one month up to five years. Longer-term CDs pay higher rates than CDs with shorter terms.Admittedly, CD's locked-in rate becomes a negative factor if interest rates begin to climb. Bump-up CDs allow investors to increase the rate during the term if prevailing rates rise, sometimes up to two times. There are also no-penalty CDs that let you withdraw funds before maturity, without paying a fee. The tradeoff to gaining these features is typically a slightly lower yield. So, moving a portion of your fixed-income funds into a CD could be a savvy move. You could also try laddering the CDs, buying certificates with varying maturity dates, allowing for more liquidity.<h2><keyword id="6386461" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Corporate-bonds">Corporate Bonds</keyword></h2>Fixed-income investors often look to the bond market to achieve a higher yield than that of bank products and accounts. Bonds as a class are considered conservative and suitable for fixed-income portfolios - especially US Treasury bonds. But when Treasuries are yielding next to nothing, where else can you go?One option: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-a-corporate-bond">Corporate bonds</a>, issued by companies seeking capital. They carry a higher risk than US Treasury bonds but are considered reasonably safe from default - as long as you stick to companies with strong balance sheets and financial histories. The bonds of these companies typically carry a letter grade from an independent credit rating agency, like Moody's, Fitch, and S&amp;P. Look for bonds with ratings of AAA to BBB. These are considered "investment-grade" - the least-risky bonds.<h2>High-Yield Bond ETFs</h2>Bonds rated below BBB go by several names: "non-investment-grade," "high-yield," or, most notoriously, "junk bonds." As these names imply, these bonds pay better interest rates, but are in greater risk of default, than their investment-grade counterparts.This doesn't mean they're off-limits to investors, just that they're higher-risk. For maximum safety, stick to investing via a bond exchange-traded fund (ETF), which holds a diversified portfolio of these instruments, chosen by professional money managers.<h2>Municipal Bonds</h2>Often referred to as munis, municipal bonds are issued by cities, counties, and states to finance public construction or infrastructure projects. They offer both higher yields than bank deposit accounts and also advantages at tax time. They are exempt from federal income taxes - and also from state and local taxes, for investors who live in the state issuing them. Munis' stated interest rate is less than corporate bonds' - because it's tax-free. Often the two equal out, when you factor in the tax you'd owe on the corporate bond. Of course, the higher your tax bracket, the more advantageous the muni would be.Like corporate bonds, munis come with letter ratings. The safest are called general obligation bonds (GO), which are backed by the issuing governmental entity itself, and not by revenue from a specific project.<h2>Defined-maturity bond funds</h2>While it's possible for investors to invest directly in individual bonds and hold them until maturity, the effort can be expensive and time-consuming. Defined-maturity bond exchange-traded funds (ETFs) invest in thousands of different bonds, all held in a single fund. Each fund offers a stated maturity that dictates when the fund closes and when the net assets are distributed to investors. In essence, defined-maturity bond ETFs combine the best of both bond funds and individual bonds. Bond fund ETF yields depend on the type of bonds held in the fund (corporate, muni, high-yield) as well as the maturity of the fund, usually from one to 10 years. Of course, bond yields fall as interest rates rise, and selling bonds as rates rise locks in losses. Because of this, bond managers continually buy and sell bonds as a means of maintaining the average maturity of the fund over time. <h2>The financial takeaway</h2>While finding good returns when interest rates is challenging, viable fixed-income investments do exist. Online savings accounts, CDs, and bonds are all options.Bonds as a class are considered conservative and suitable for fixed-income portfolios. Whether individual bonds or bond funds, debt securities generally offer higher yields than many other fixed-income vehicles, like bank accounts and CDs. Of course, the greater the return, the greater the risk. That's the cardinal rule of investing, in any climate.But when interest rates are low, fixed-income investors must be open to loosening up their risk tolerance. At least, until interest rates start to rise again. <h2>Related Coverage in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/investing-reference" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Investing</a>:</h2><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bonds-vs-cds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bonds vs. CDs: The key differences and how to decide which income-producing option is better for you</a></h3><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-an-etn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ETNs combine a bond's reliability with a stock's profitability. Here's how they work, and how to weigh the risks and rewards</a></h3><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-an-index-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What is an index fund? A low-cost, low-risk way to invest in the stock market</a></h3><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-diversification" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What is diversification? A portfolio strategy that uses a variety of investments to limit risk</a></h3><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/post/preview?post_id=5fb82a6b242d67494772139d&amp;mode=desktopktop" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Investment income is money earned by your financial assets or accounts, and understanding how it works can help maximize your profits</a></h3>

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