These products provide a half-way house if you want exposure to the stock market, without taking on the full risk. They are linked to a stock market index, and they run for a fixed term. The return you get will depend on what has happened to the stock market over that time.
The main attraction of these products is that if the market falls you will not lose all your money as they guarantee to pay a minimum return. This varies depending on the product, but some will promise to repay all the money you invested at the outset, while others will only repay some of it.
This protection comes at a price, however. If the index your investment is linked to rises over the term, you will not benefit from the full rise and dividends tend not to be included.