INVESTMENT - STOCK MARKET Vocabulary

Bid: The price a buyer is willing to offer for shares in a company.
Blue Chip Stocks: Stocks of leading companies with a reputation for stable growth and earnings.
Bond: Certificate issued by companies and governments to its lenders.
Capital: Money and other property of companies used in transacting the business.
Capital stock: All shares representing ownership of a company.
Commodities: Products such as agricultural products and natural resources (wood, oil and metals)that are traded on a separate, authorized commodities exchange.
Dividend:A portion of a company's earnings which is paid to the shareholders/stockholders on a quarterly or annual basis.
Equity: The value of stocks and shares; the net value of mortgaged property.
Equities: Stocks and shares which represent a portion of the capital of a company.
Futures: Contracts to buy or sell securities at a future date.
Insider: All those who have access to inside information concerning the company.
Insider dealing/trading: Buying or selling with the help of information know only to those connected with the business.
IPO:Initial Public Offering - selling part of a company on the stock market.
Issue:Put into circulation a number of a company's shares for sale.
Liabilities:The debts and obligations of a company or an individual.
Mortgage:Agreement by which a bank or building society lends money for the purchase of property, such as a house or apartment. The property is the security for the loan.
Mutual fund:Savings fund that uses cash from a pool of savers to buy securities such as stock, bonds and real estate.
Option:The right to buy and sell certain securities at a specified price and period of time.
Par value:Nominal face value.
Penny stock:Shares selling at less than $1 a share.
Portfolio:Various types of securities held by an individual or institution.
Securities:Transferable certificates showing ownership of stock, bonds, shares, options, etc.
Share:The capital of a company is divided into shares which entitle the owner, or shareholder,to a proportion of the profits.
Share certificate:Certificate representing the number of shares owned by an investor.
Shareholder:Owner of shares.
Speculator:Someone who buys and sells stocks and shares in the hope of making a profit through changes in their value.
Stock:Shares (portion of the capital of a business company) held by an investor. Stockbroker:A licensed professional who buys and sells stocks and shares for clients in exchange for a fee, called a 'commission'.
Stockholder:Person who owns stocks and shares.
Trader:Investor who holds stocks and securities for a short time (minutes, hours or days)with the objective of making profit from short-term gains in the market.Investment is generally based on stock price rather than evaluation of the company.
Trading session:Period during which the Stock Exchange is open for trading.
Venture capital:Money raised by companies to finance new ventures in exchange for percentage ownership.
Yield:Return on investment shown as a percentage.