Similar markets to government bonds
Corporate bonds
When you buy a government bond, you are loaning your capital to whichever government issued the bond. Corporate bonds work in the same way, but you are instead loaning your capital to a company. Corporate bonds are usually riskier than government bonds, though, because of the increased likelihood of a company having to default on its loans.
Interest rates
Instead of speculating on interest rate movements via bonds, many leveraged trading providers will offer direct exposure to key interest rates from around the world. Using IG Bank’s platform, for instance, you can open a long or short position on euribor, short sterling (LIBOR) and many other rates.
Gold
Like government bonds, gold's price will often go up when interest rates are falling, and drop when interest rates are on the rise. It is also a popular market in times of economic uncertainty, because it is viewed as a lower-risk investment – just like many government bonds.