Other bonds, known as convertible bonds, allow investors to convert the bond into equity.

Many investors switching to sterling first convert their currencies into dollars, which then are used to buy pounds, dealers say.

Since then, small investors have been buying other buildings in the neighborhood and converting them to lofts either for their own use or to rent.

This allows investors to convert the increase of an asset's market value into cash.

A private investor also converted a vacant factory into a restaurant/nightclub called Katmandu.

Lower bond prices weigh on the dollar because foreign investors selling American assets frequently convert the proceeds into other currencies.

When investors convert assets to "cash," however, that doesn't mean $20 bills for mattress stuffing.

The declines raised fears that foreign investors would sell American assets and convert the dollar proceeds into other currencies.

Any individual investor can, of course, readily convert the Worldcom shares into cash.

Eventually private investors converted it into a functioning restaurant under the television-inspired name "Molly's Reach".