After opening the day lower, the benchmark indices continued their downward momentum and ended the session in the red.

International Paper has paid variable quarterly dividends since August 1989. It reduced dividends in 2008-09 but has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.46 for December this year, making a forward-looking annual dividend of $1.84 into the new year.

The debt securities category will always be the first choice for risk-averse investors because this class of instruments provides a regular income at low levels of risk.