For investors or savers, interest comes in the form of an annual percentage yield (APY). For example, a bank will pay you ...

An interest rate can also apply to a savings account or a certificate of deposit (CD). In this case, a bank or credit union pays a percentage of the funds deposited to the account holder.

and thus limit the chance of conflicts of interest, a partition usually separates the buy side from the sell side—it’s known as a Chinese wall. Investment banks earn underwriting commissions.