S&P 500   5,026.61
DOW   38,671.69
QQQ   437.05
Israel's finance minister blasts Moody's downgrade of the the country's credit rating
66,000% upside on tiny biotech? (Ad)
Mardi Gras beads are creating a plastic disaster in New Orleans. Are there green alternatives?
Super Bowl Live Updates | 49ers are Super Bowl favorites in 2025
Income Expert and Author of Get Rich With Dividends Is Giving Away His Top Income Secrets… FOR FREE! (Ad)
Venezuela defends military buildup, accusing neighboring Guyana of granting illegal oil contracts
Recession risks are fading, business economists say, but political tensions pose threat to economy
66,000% upside on tiny biotech? (Ad)
Stock market today: World shares mostly higher after S&P 500 tops 5,000
Biden's campaign joins TikTok, even as administration warns of national security concerns with app
S&P 500   5,026.61
DOW   38,671.69
QQQ   437.05
Israel's finance minister blasts Moody's downgrade of the the country's credit rating
66,000% upside on tiny biotech? (Ad)
Mardi Gras beads are creating a plastic disaster in New Orleans. Are there green alternatives?
Super Bowl Live Updates | 49ers are Super Bowl favorites in 2025
Income Expert and Author of Get Rich With Dividends Is Giving Away His Top Income Secrets… FOR FREE! (Ad)
Venezuela defends military buildup, accusing neighboring Guyana of granting illegal oil contracts
Recession risks are fading, business economists say, but political tensions pose threat to economy
66,000% upside on tiny biotech? (Ad)
Stock market today: World shares mostly higher after S&P 500 tops 5,000
Biden's campaign joins TikTok, even as administration warns of national security concerns with app
S&P 500   5,026.61
DOW   38,671.69
QQQ   437.05
Israel's finance minister blasts Moody's downgrade of the the country's credit rating
66,000% upside on tiny biotech? (Ad)
Mardi Gras beads are creating a plastic disaster in New Orleans. Are there green alternatives?
Super Bowl Live Updates | 49ers are Super Bowl favorites in 2025
Income Expert and Author of Get Rich With Dividends Is Giving Away His Top Income Secrets… FOR FREE! (Ad)
Venezuela defends military buildup, accusing neighboring Guyana of granting illegal oil contracts
Recession risks are fading, business economists say, but political tensions pose threat to economy
66,000% upside on tiny biotech? (Ad)
Stock market today: World shares mostly higher after S&P 500 tops 5,000
Biden's campaign joins TikTok, even as administration warns of national security concerns with app
S&P 500   5,026.61
DOW   38,671.69
QQQ   437.05
Israel's finance minister blasts Moody's downgrade of the the country's credit rating
66,000% upside on tiny biotech? (Ad)
Mardi Gras beads are creating a plastic disaster in New Orleans. Are there green alternatives?
Super Bowl Live Updates | 49ers are Super Bowl favorites in 2025
Income Expert and Author of Get Rich With Dividends Is Giving Away His Top Income Secrets… FOR FREE! (Ad)
Venezuela defends military buildup, accusing neighboring Guyana of granting illegal oil contracts
Recession risks are fading, business economists say, but political tensions pose threat to economy
66,000% upside on tiny biotech? (Ad)
Stock market today: World shares mostly higher after S&P 500 tops 5,000
Biden's campaign joins TikTok, even as administration warns of national security concerns with app

Stock Market Terms

MarketBeat is providing this page as a way for investors to become familiar with basic investing terms. Terms are listed in alphabetical order to make the list easily searchable.

12B-1 Fees

A 12b-1 fee is a fee charged by a mutual fund that covers the marketing and distribution costs of the fund as well as some service fees. Read more on 12B-1 Fees
Profitably Trade Stocks at 52-Week Highs

52-Week Highs

A 52 week high is the highest price that a stock has traded at in the last year. Many investors use 52 week highs as a factor in determining a stock's current value and as a predictor of future price movements. Read more on 52-Week Highs
Where Do I Find 52-Week Highs and Lows?

52-Week Highs And Lows

Wondering, “Where do I find 52-week highs and lows?” Knowing the inside scoop can help you invest and trade. Learn more. Read more on 52-Week Highs And Lows
3d rendering of technical financial graph: What is the accumulation distribution indicator?

Accumulation Distribution Indicator

What is the accumulation distribution indicator? It’s a cumulative indicator using volume and price to assess stock accumulation or distribution. Learn more. Read more on Accumulation Distribution Indicator

After-Hours Trading

After-hours trading is buying and selling of stocks that takes place after normal trading hours. Trading occurs through an electronic market between 4:05 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Read more on After-Hours Trading
Dice on financial graph: Are stock analyst ratings like rolling the dice? Find out.

Analyst Ratings

Analyst ratings like "buy," "sell" and "hold" allow investors to study a company’s financials to assess the financial health of the company. Learn more. Read more on Analyst Ratings
Stock exchange market trading; learn how to trade using analyst ratings

Analyst Ratings Trading

Analysts evaluate companies and deliver reports, and investors can trade based on their recommendations. Learn how to trade using analyst ratings. Read more on Analyst Ratings Trading
Hand writing Arbitrage with marker: What is arbitrage?

Arbitrage

What is arbitrage? It’s a trading strategy that takes advantage of a momentary price difference between an asset’s price on two different exchanges. Learn more. Read more on Arbitrage
ASSET ALLOCATION inscription coming out from an open book

Asset Allocation

What is asset allocation? It means allocating your money among different asset classes (stocks, bonds, real estate, etc.) and keeping it there. Learn more. Read more on Asset Allocation
Image of a backdoor and of a person trying to get in, representing Backdoor Roth IRA 2023

Backdoor Roth IRA 2023

What is a backdoor Roth IRA 2023? Learn more about the backdoor Roth IRA and how to use it without suffering from tax headaches with MarketBeat. Read more on Backdoor Roth IRA 2023

Back-End Load

A back-end load is a sales charge (or commission) that an investor pays when they sell shares in a mutual fund. Read more on Back-End Load
Balance Sheet is shown using a text; learn how investos use a balance sheet

Balance Sheet

A balance sheet details a company’s net worth, what it owns (assets), what it owes (liabilities) and the capital it receives from shareholders. Learn more. Read more on Balance Sheet

Balanced Fund

A balanced fund is a kind of mutual fund that has a mix of both equities (such as stocks or commodities) and bonds. Read more on Balanced Fund

Bar Chart

For investors, a bar chart is a price evaluation tool that serves as a visual representation of the price of a security over a period of time. Read more on Bar Chart
What is basic economics?

Basic Economics

Basic economics is the study of how societies allocate a limited amount of resources which can have alternative uses. Read more on Basic Economics
Image of a trader asking himself what to do about a bear market

Bear Market

What is a bear market? A bear market is a driven market decline of 20% or more during a short period of time. Learn more. Read more on Bear Market
Stack of US dollars into a trap. What is a bear trap? Learn more.

Bear Trap

A bear trap is a false selling signal that occurs when an equity in a bearish pattern quickly breaks to the upside. Learn more. Read more on Bear Trap
What is the beige book? Image of a beige book flipping through pages

Beige Book

What is the Beige Book? A leading economic indicator, it helps guide the Federal Open Market Committee’s monetary policy of the United States. Learn more. Read more on Beige Book
beta stamp. beta square grunge sign. beta

Beta

What is beta in stocks? Understanding beta can help investors understand why a company may be performing or underperforming. Learn more. Read more on Beta
closeup of computer keyboard with ask and bid buttons: What is bid-ask spread? Learn more.

Bid-Ask Spread

What is the bid-ask spread? It’s a tool that market makers at financial institutions use to facilitate buying and selling that facilitates orderly trading. Read more on Bid-Ask Spread
black swan floating on water of  pond

Black Swan

A “black swan” describes an extremely rare and unpredictable event that triggers a perfect storm of catastrophic consequences. Learn more. Read more on Black Swan
Vertical chain made of zeros and ones. What is bitcoin overview

Blockchain

Blockchain strings transactions into blocks to form a digital ledger distributed over a peer-to-peer network. What is blockchain technology? How does it work? Read more on Blockchain
Blue chip and bull on a stock market graph

Blue Chip Stocks

Blue-chip stocks offer stability, safety and dividends through companies with well-entrenched businesses. Learn more about how to invest in blue chip stocks. Read more on Blue Chip Stocks
Background of Stock Market bollinger bands indicators: What are Bollinger bands overview

Bollinger Bands

What are Bollinger Bands? They are a popular technical analysis tool traders use to gauge a security’s price moves and to measure volatility. Learn more. Read more on Bollinger Bands

Bond

A bond is a type of fixed-income security that can be thought of like a credit instrument by the issuing party. Read more on Bond

Book Value Per Share (BVPS)

Book value per share (BVPS) is a ratio used to compare a firm's common shareholder's equity to the number of shares outstanding. Read more on Book Value Per Share
Growth and expansion drawing: Breakout Stocks: What They Are and How to Identify Them

Breakout Stocks

Trading breakout stocks occurs when traders look for a stock or asset class that breaks outside of a well-defined range. Learn more about breakout stocks. Read more on Breakout Stocks
How to invest in a bull market: gold bull on chart background

Bull Market

What is a bull market and how to invest in a bull market? Maximize your returns when stocks are on the rise. Learn more about investing in a bull market. Read more on Bull Market
Bull trap image of a bull in a trap. What is a bull trap? Learn more.

Bull Trap

A bull trap is a false buying signal that occurs when an equity that has been in a declining pattern quickly reverses direction. Learn more. Read more on Bull Trap
Buy rating on stocks image: Buy and sell image with businessman

Buy Rating

What is a buy rating in stocks? Analysts give a buy rating when they anticipate that an asset’s price will move above its current level over a period of time. Read more on Buy Rating
What is a stock buyback? Image of a road with stock buyback written on it

Buyback

What is a buyback in stocks? A stock buyback, or share repurchase program, is when a company repurchases its own shares in the marketplace. Learn more. Read more on Buyback
What is a buy-side analyst? Image of two guys discussing a computer screen.

Buy-Side Analyst

A buy-side analyst performs equity research for institutional investors who work for firms such as hedge funds, pension funds or mutual funds. Learn more. Read more on Buy-Side Analyst

What is the CAC 40 Index?

CAC 40 Index

The CAC 40 is a market-cap weighted index of 40 of the 100 companies with the highest market cap on the Euronext, similar tp the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Read more on CAC 40 Index

Calculating Retirement Income

When planning for your golden years, you want to ensure that you’re saving enough. Use the MarketBeat calculator for calculating retirement income. Read more on Calculating Retirement Income
What are call options

Call Option

The owner of the call option, an investor is buying the right, but not the obligation, to purchase a specific number of shares of a company’s stock at an agreed upon price. Read more on Call Option
Why Understanding Call Option Volume is Essential to Successful Options Trading

Call Option Volume

Volume is the amount of buying and selling that is being done by a security. Equities, such as stocks along with futures, currencies and other investments all measure trading volume. Read more on Call Option Volume
Close up shot on digital screen candlestick chart: What is a candlestick chart? Learn more.

Candlestick Chart

What is a candlestick chart? Candlestick charts represent stock price moves. Traders use candlesticks to make decisions based on patterns. Read more on Candlestick Chart
Close up of tax form Schedule D for capital gains and losses with glasses, pencil and pink eraser

Capital Gains

A capital gain is an increase in value between an asset’s price sold and the price an investor paid for the asset. Learn how it applies to IRAs and 401(k)s. Read more on Capital Gains

Capital Gains Distribution

A capital gains distribution is a payment to shareholders of a mutual fund that is the result of a liquidation of either the underlying stocks and securities or the dividend and interest earned by the fund’s holdings. Read more on Capital Gains Distribution

Cash Asset Ratio

The cash asset ratio is a fundamental measurement tool that represents, as a percentage, the amount of highly liquid assets versus the amount of short-term liabilities. Read more on Cash Asset Ratio

Cash Flow

Cash flow is a measurement of how much cash and cash equivalents a company is receiving and how much it is sending out. Read more on Cash Flow

Catch-Up Contributions

Catch-up contributions are deposits that are made above and beyond what is allowed in an employer-sponsored retirement plan. Read more on Catch-Up Contributions

CBOE Russell 2000® Volatility Index

This index is an indicator of the short-term expectation of volatility in the stock market as it relates to option prices for the Russell 2000 Index. Read more on CBOE Russell 2000® Volatility Index

CD Ladder

A CD ladder is an investment strategy in which a fixed amount of money is divided equally among multiple certificates of deposit purchased at varying maturity dates. Read more on CD Ladder

Certificate Of Deposit (CD)

A certificate of deposit (CD) is a financial product that allows a financial institution to hold a depositor’s funds until a fixed maturity date Read more on Certificate Of Deposit

Channel Trading

Channel trading is a trading strategy that relies on technical analysis based on defined trading channels created by price movement patterns. Read more on Channel Trading
Male finger switching circuit breakers inside electrical panel cabinet; what is a circuit breaker in the stock market?

Circuit Breakers

The circuit breaker is a mechanism where trading stops if the stock price of an individual security or an entire index falls below certain levels. Learn more. Read more on Circuit Breakers

Closed-End Mutual Funds

Closed-end mutual funds (CEFs) are a special type of mutual fund, an investment structure, with shares traded in the open market, like stocks or ETFs Read more on Closed-End Mutual Funds
Investing in commodities: an image overview of several commodities

Commodities

Investing in commodities ranges from investing in energy and agriculture to metals. Learn more about how to invest in commodities. Read more on Commodities
CAGR - Compound Annual Growth Rate acronym

Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)

What is compound annual growth rate (CAGR)? The CAGR represents the mean of an investment's annual growth rate over a specified period. Learn more. Read more on Compound Annual Growth Rate

Compound Interest

Compound interest is calculated on an additional principal balance that includes the interest on all the interest that has accumulated Read more on Compound Interest

Conference Calls

A conference call is an event that allows companies to provide information to any interested party. This includes institutional investors (such as the large investment banks and stock analysts) but is also available to individual investors. Read more on Conference Calls

Convertible Shares

Convertible shares are a class of a company’s preferred shares. Like common shares, convertible shares give shareholders an ownership stake in the company Read more on Convertible Shares
What is Cost Basis

Cost Basis

As part of every investor’s due diligence, they should pay attention to the cost basis of every security they purchase. Read more on Cost Basis

Cost Of Capital

The cost of capital is the amount of money needed to make a capital budgeting project worthwhile. Read more on Cost Of Capital

Cost Of Debt

In its simplest form, cost of debt is the effective interest rate that a company will pay on all of its debt obligations. The cost of debt is expressed as a percentage. Read more on Cost Of Debt

Cost Of Equity

The cost of equity is the expected return that they will get in exchange for their investment in a business in the form of buying shares Read more on Cost Of Equity
What is cost of goods sold (COGS): Image of Business Acronym COGS Cost Of Goods Sold written over road marking yellow paint line

Cost Of Goods Sold (COGS)

What is cost of goods sold (COGS)? Cost of goods sold determines the direct costs that go into the production of a finished product or service. Learn more. Read more on Cost Of Goods Sold

Coverage Ratio

The coverage ratio is actually a series of ratios that are used by investors to determine a company’s ability to meet their financial obligations. Read more on Coverage Ratio
What is the Consumer Price Index (CPI)?

CPI Consumer Price Index

What does the Consumer Price Index measure? It measures the average change over time in consumers' prices for goods and services. Learn more. Read more on CPI Consumer Price Index
Man hands showing golden bitcoin; what are cryptocurrencies? Learn more.

Cryptocurrencies

Cryptocurrency is a digital currency that is an encrypted set of transactions on a digital ledger known as a blockchain. Learn more. Read more on Cryptocurrencies

Current Ratio

The current ratio (also known as the working capital ratio) is a tool that allows investors to assess the liquidity of a company. Read more on Current Ratio
Business cycle

Cyclical Stocks

What are cyclical stocks? Cyclical stocks are stocks of those companies that move with a high correlation to the broader economy. Learn more. Read more on Cyclical Stocks

Day Trading

Day trading is the practice of buying and selling securities within a single day and exiting trades quickly. Learning day trading risk management is essential. Read more on Day Trading
What is a dead cat bounce? Image of a cat jumping

Dead Cat Bounce

What is a dead cat bounce? A dead cat bounce is an event that takes place as part of a prolonged price downtrend. Learn more. Read more on Dead Cat Bounce
What is a death cross in stocks? Stock market or forex trading graph and candlestick chart suitable for financial investment concept. Economy trends background for business idea and all art work design. Abstract finance background.

Death Cross

What is a death cross in stocks? The death cross is a technical chart pattern that appears when a short-term moving average crosses a long-term moving average. Read more on Death Cross

Debt-To-Equity Ratio

A company’s debt-to-equity ratio is a performance metric that measures a company’s level of debt in relation to the overall value of their stock Read more on Debt-To-Equity Ratio

Depreciation

Depreciation is an accounting practice that allows a company to record, as an expense, only a portion of an asset’s cost over the period of that asset’s useful life. Read more on Depreciation

Derivative

A derivative is a contractual agreement between two parties. The value of the derivative is determined by the value of an underlying asset such as stocks, bonds, commodities (oil, wheat, soybeans, etc.) or precious metals (gold, silver, etc.) Read more on Derivative

Diluted Earnings Per Share

Diluted earnings per share is a metric that helps analysts and investors estimate the quality of a company’s basic earnings per share (EPS). Read more on Diluted Earnings Per Share
Federal Reserve icon on a dollar bill; the discount rate indicates a direction for monetary policy

Discount Rate

What is discount rate? It’s the interest rate the Federal Reserve charges commercial banks and other financial institutions for short-term loans. Learn more. Read more on Discount Rate
What is disruptive technology? Learn more about how to invest in it; image of person's hand with tech

Disruptive Technology

Disruptive technology is an innovation that significantly changes the way that consumers, businesses and entire industries operate. Learn how to invest in it. Read more on Disruptive Technology
What is diversification in investing? Investment divesifacation and putting all eggs in one basket

Diversification

Diversification can help you protect your portfolio by making purposeful decisions to divide your investments among a variety of asset classes. Learn more. Read more on Diversification
Why Special Dividends Can be a Delightful Surprise for Income Investors

Dividend Achievers

Dividend achievers are a group of companies that have increased their dividend payout for 10 consecutive years. Dividend achievers fall into a special category of companies that make issuing, and growing, dividend payments a priority. Read more on Dividend Achievers
Dividend Aristocrat written on sticky note surrounded by charts: learn more about the best of the list of dividend aristocrats

Dividend Aristocrat Index

Dividend Aristocrats are members of the S&P 500 that have raised their dividends for a minimum of 25 years. Learn more about our list of Dividend Aristocrats. Read more on Dividend Aristocrat Index
How to Capture the Benefits of Dividend Increases

Dividend Increases

Increasing dividends can help you grow your portfolio. Learn more about how to capture the benefits of dividend increases on MarketBeat. Read more on Dividend Increases
Chess gold leadership on the chessboard. How to trade in risk valuation situation. Money was allocate to portfolio efficiency. Investor can get more capital gain and dividend

Dividend Kings

What is a Dividend King? The Dividend Kings are companies who have increased their dividend payout for at least 50 consecutive years. Learn more. Read more on Dividend Kings
What is a dividend reinvestment plan?

Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRIP)

A dividend reinvestment plan (DRIP) is a program that gives investors the opportunity to reinvest their cash dividends. Read more on Dividend Reinvestment Plan
What Makes a Stock a Good Dividend Stock?

Dividend Stocks

Dividend stocks provide investors with a regular source of income that they can either receive as income or they can reinvest to increase their position. Read more on Dividend Stocks
Investing in Dividend Stocks

Dividend Stocks

Dividend investing focuses either on collecting high dividend yield stocks or stocks with fast-growing dividends. Dividend stocks are stocks issued by companies who redistribute a portion of their profits to their shareholders on a regular basis. Read more on Dividend Stocks

Dividend Yield

A dividend yield (also called the dividend-price ratio) is simply a company’s dividend expressed as a percentage of its stock price. Read more on Dividend Yield
What Is Dividend Yield and How Do You Calculate It?

Dividend Yield Calculator

Dividend yield is a calculation of the amount (in dollars) of a company’s current annual dividend per share divided by its current stock price: Read more on Dividend Yield Calculator
The dogs of the dow word on digital screen; learn more about the dogs of the dow strategy

Dogs Of The Dow Strategy

What is the dogs of the Dow strategy? The strategy attempts to beat the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) through high-yield investments. Learn more. Read more on Dogs Of The Dow Strategy
The text DCA written on wooden cubes with woman pushing a stroller. What is dollar cost averaging? Learn more.

Dollar Cost Averaging

What is dollar cost averaging? It’s a strategy where an investor buys a fixed dollar amount of a security at regular intervals, no matter the price. Learn more. Read more on Dollar Cost Averaging

Dow Jones Industrial Average

“The Dow” is shorthand for the Dow Jones Industrial Average and one of the most-watched stock market indices in the world. Learn more with MarketBeat. Read more on Dow Jones Industrial Average
Businessman trading on stock exchange, defining what is a dual listing

Dual Listing

What is a dual listing? A dual listing refers to securities on two or more exchanges. Companies use dual listings for various benefits. Learn more. Read more on Dual Listing
Image of sticky note with earnings per share

Earnings Per Share

Earnings per share (EPS) is a metric that indicates how much a company earned, represented by one share of stock, during a given time. Read more on Earnings Per Share
What are stock market earnings reports?

Earnings Reports

Earnings reports are part of the legal requirements that publicly held companies follow when disclosing their company performance. These reports are issued quarterly during what investors call the “earnings season”. Read more on Earnings Reports
What is an Earnings Surprise?

Earnings Surprise

What is an earnings surprise? An earnings surprise means that a company reports figures completely different from analyst estimates. Learn more. Read more on Earnings Surprise
What is EBITDA and Why Does it Matter?

EBITDA

EBITDA is one of the most important terms to understand when analyzing if a stock is a good buy. This article provides a brief explanation of the term EBITDA including why it matters to investors Read more on EBITDA
What is an economic bubble? Image of bubble with dollar sign being popped

Economic Bubble

What is an economic bubble? It occurs when an asset rises in value based on investor sentiment not supported by fundamental or technical analysis. Learn more. Read more on Economic Bubble
The Role Economic Reports Play in a Successful Investment Strategy

Economic Reports

Economic reports contain data about various sectors of the U.S. and global economy. These reports are published on a set schedule by different departments of the Federal Government. Read more on Economic Reports

Elliott Wave Theory

Elliott Wave Theory is a market forecasting tool that was developed in the 1930s by Ralph Nelson Elliott. Read more on Elliott Wave Theory

Equal Weight Rating

When an analyst gives an equal weight rating, they are expecting a stock’s performance to be in line with the average return of the other stocks that the analysts cover. Read more on Equal Weight Rating

Equity Income

Equity income is primarily referred to as income that is generated from stock dividends, a portion of a company’s earnings that is paid back to shareholders Read more on Equity Income
 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Investing

ESG Score

A company’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) score is a key component used by some investors and fund managers. Read more on ESG Score
What is an ETF? Image of three piggy banks filled with coins to demonstrate what is an ETF.

ETF Investment

What is an ETF investment and how does it work? ETFs, a type of pooled investment security, operate similar to mutual funds. Learn more with MarketBeat. Read more on ETF Investment
What is the Euro STOXX 50 Index?

Euro STOXX 50 Index

The Euro STOXX 50 Index is a market-weighted index of the 50 largest companies in the 11 Eurozone countries (Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain. Read more on Euro STOXX 50 Index
EV Stocks and How to Profit from Them

EV Stocks

The EV market is no longer a niche market. What was once a side gig and nod to the green movement is becoming a revolution and double-digit growth opportunity Read more on EV Stocks
What is ex-dividend date and how is it significant to investors infographic

Ex Dividend Date

The ex-dividend date is the first-day stock will be trading “ex-dividend” , once the company announces a date of record for their dividend. Read more on Ex Dividend Date

What Are the FAANG Stocks and Are They Good Investments?

FAANG Stocks

What are the FAANG stocks? FAANG is an acronym for a set of popularized tech stocks, but should you invest? Learn more with MarketBeat. Read more on FAANG Stocks

Federal Reserve

The Federal Reserve is the central bank of the United States of America. The Federal Reserve (The Fed) plays an important role in formulating and guiding our nation’s monetary policy. Read more on Federal Reserve
How to use fibonacci retracement: Fibonacci reflects items in nature like this nautilus shell, pictured.

Fibonacci Retracement

A Fibonacci channel is a technical indicator of price movement. Lines that form inside a Fibonacci channel estimate likely areas of support and resistance. Read more on Fibonacci Retracement

Fiduciary

A fiduciary is someone who has a legal responsibility to put your needs above their own. A broker or financial planner working under a fiduciary standard is ethically bound to act in his or her client’s best interests. Read more on Fiduciary
Floats on a pool – what is float in investing?

Float

What is float in trading stocks? It refers to the number of shares a company issues available for trading on secondary markets without restriction. Learn more. Read more on Float
What is forex and how does it work? Image of currencies and forex on a chart

Forex Trading And How Does It Work

Forex traders bet on fluctuations in global currency prices. Traders can use leverage and margin to profit on smaller positions. Learn more. Read more on Forex Trading And How Does It Work

Front-End Load

A front-end load is a sales charge that an investor pays at the time they purchase shares in a mutual fund. Read more on Front-End Load
What is the FTSE 100 index?

FTSE 100 Index

The FTSE 100 is the United Kingdom’s (UK) equivalent to the S&P 500. It is looked at as a leading indicator of the UK economy. Read more on FTSE 100 Index
Torn paper with word FUNDAMENTAL ANALYSIS. What is fundamental analysis? Learn more.

Fundamental Analysis

What is fundamental analysis? Fundamental analysis anticipates the value of a stock by evaluating certain elements of a company. Learn more. Read more on Fundamental Analysis
What is a futures contract? Image of writing on a clear screen

Futures Contract

What is a futures contract? A buyer and a seller enter a legally binding contract to trade an asset at a particular date for a specific price. Learn more. Read more on Futures Contract

G-20

The G-20 (an abbreviation for The Group of 20) is a group of finance ministers and central bank governors from 19 countries that serve as the main economic council of nations. Read more on G-20
How Investors Can Identify and Successfully Trade Gap-Down Stocks

Gap Down Stocks

Gap-down stocks are stocks that open at a lower level, often signified by a sharp price move, with no other trading occurring before or after, therefore creating a price gap. Read more on Gap Down Stocks
What does a gap up mean in stocks? Green and black stock chart

Gap Up Stocks

What does gap up mean in stocks? A gap-up stock opens trading at a higher level than the previous day’s closing price. How can you capitalize on them? Read more on Gap Up Stocks
golden cross stocks chart indicator

Golden Cross Stocks

What are golden cross stocks? A golden cross predicts a bullish trend for stocks and other securities. Learn more about how to use golden cross stocks. Read more on Golden Cross Stocks

Google Finance

Google Finance is a search tab within Google.com that allows investors to track investment and screen stocks according to the relevance of their preferences. Read more on Google Finance

Google Finance Portfolio

Google Finance portfolio allows investors to add an investment portfolio or stock watchlist and track the day-to-day performance of current holdings, and get individual charting. Read more on Google Finance Portfolio
A growing tree on a pile of money in the hands of a businessman and a tree growing on a stack of coins — what is green investing?

Green Investing

What is green investment? Green investing invests in companies dedicated to natural resources, alternative energy sources and other projects. Read more on Green Investing
Dictionary definition of the word GDP.  What is the definition of Gross Domestic Product (GDP)?

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

Gross domestic product (GDP) measures the monetary value of goods and services a country produces within its borders over a specific time period. Learn more. Read more on Gross Domestic Product

Growth And Income Funds

A growth and income fund is either a mutual fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF) that, as the name states, attempts to simultaneously achieve two goals for shareholders. Read more on Growth And Income Funds
What is the Hang Seng index?  

Hang Seng Index (HSI)

The Hang Seng Index (HSI) is a market capitalization-weighted index that is made up of the 50 largest companies that trade on the Hong Kong stock exchange Read more on Hang Seng Index
Head and Shoulders Stock Chart Pattern 3D Illustration; read more: What is a head and shoulders pattern and how does it work

Head And Shoulders Pattern

A head and shoulders pattern is a chart formation that predicts a bullish-to-bearish trend reversal with three peaks. Learn how technical traders can use it. Read more on Head And Shoulders Pattern
Hedge Funds - How They Work For Investors

Hedge Funds

Hedge funds use a pool of funds from investors who meet certain criteria in an effort to achieve a positive absolute return for their investors. Read more on Hedge Funds

Hold Rating

Since no security will stay at a constant price, a hold rating is used to indicate a company’s price targets more than to provide a trading signal. Read more on Hold Rating

Holder Of Record

A holder of record is the individual or entity that is considered to be the registered owner of a security. Read more on Holder Of Record
Hostile takeover image with money: What is a hostile takeover? Learn more.

Hostile Takeover

What is a hostile takeover? It’s acquiring one company (the target) by an acquirer against the wishes of the targeted company. Learn more. Read more on Hostile Takeover
What Does a Housing Bubble Mean and How Does it Impact Investors?

Housing Bubble

In this article we’ll explain what a housing bubble means and review the steps retail investors should take to protect and grow their portfolios when the bubble is inflating and deflating. Read more on Housing Bubble

What is an index fund and how does it work? Man holding puzzle piece by calculator

Index Funds

What is an index fund and how does it work? An index fund is designed to match or track a specific market index. Learn how it works with MarketBeat. Read more on Index Funds

Inflation

Inflation is a general rise in the cost of goods and services which is offset by a symmetrical decline in the purchasing power of a currency. Read more on Inflation
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Initial Coin Offering (ICO)

An initial coin offering is a crowdfunding tool where an gives a business cryptocurrency, and in some cases, fiat currency for tokens. Learn more. Read more on Initial Coin Offering
What is an initial public offering? IPO image with wooden blocks and calculator in the background

Initial Public Offering (IPO)

An initial public offering (IPO) occurs when a private company raises money through the sale of shares to trade on a major stock exchange. Learn more. Read more on Initial Public Offering
Insider Trading - What You Need to Know

Insider Trading

Insider trading is the action of buying or selling (“trading”) a security based on material information that is not available to the public. Read more on Insider Trading
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Institutional Investors

What are institutional investors? Institutional investors are large firms that buy and sell securities for individual members or shareholders. Read more on Institutional Investors
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Intrinsic Value

Intrinsic value helps determine whether a stock is overvalued or undervalued. You want to buy low (undervalued) and sell high (overvalued). Learn more. Read more on Intrinsic Value
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Inverted Yield Curve

What does the inverted yield curve mean? An inverted yield curve is one of the most accurate economic indicators to predict a recession. Learn more. Read more on Inverted Yield Curve
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Learn Technical Analysis

Technical analysis involves studying behavioral economics, risk management, and trends, which you can use to trade effectively. Learn more. Read more on Learn Technical Analysis

Leveraged Buyout (LBO)

A leveraged buyout (LBO) is a financial transaction, an acquisition of a company that is financed almost entirely by debt. The concept of a buyer being able to “take over” another entity without putting a lot of their capital at risk is why this is referred to as a “leveraged” buyout. Read more on Leveraged Buyout

LIBOR

The London Interbank Offered Rate is the lowest rate that banks charge to lend to each other. Read more on LIBOR
What is a limit order in stocks? Limit Order is an order to buy or sell a stock with a restriction on the maximum price to be paid, text concept on card

Limit Order

A limit order is a mechanism that allows investors to buy or sell a security at a specified price or better. Should you use limit orders when buying shares? Read more on Limit Order
What is a Low P/E Ratio and What Does it Tell Investors?

Low P/E Ratio

A stock’s P/E ratio tells investors how much they are paying for one dollar of a company’s earnings. But what is a low P/E ratio? Learn more. Read more on Low P/E Ratio

Management Fee

A management fee is a compensation that is charged by an investment manager for their role in managing an investment fund. Read more on Management Fee
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Margin

What is trading on margin? Margin is the money an investor borrows from a broker to purchase an investment. Learn more about trading on margin. Read more on Margin
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Marijuana Stocks

Still in its early stages, marijuana stocks have become a major industry, despite restrictions federally. Learn how to invest in marijuana stocks. Read more on Marijuana Stocks
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Market Capitalization

Market capitalization (or market cap) refers to the total value of all a company's shares of stock. Learn more about the market capitalization meaning. Read more on Market Capitalization
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Market Correction

This article describes a market correction and teaches new investors how to mitigate corrections and maintain their portfolios. Read more on Market Correction
water drops and ripples with a one hundred dollar bill: What is market liquidity

Market Liquidity

What is market liquidity? Liquidity is a non-statistical measurement of how easily you can buy or sell an asset without affecting the asset’s price. Learn more. Read more on Market Liquidity

Market Perform

The market perform rating is given by a stock analyst to suggest a neutral outlook for a stock’s performance when compared to a benchmark index such as the S&P 500 or the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA). Read more on Market Perform

Market Timing

Market timing is an investing and trading strategy that involves shifting the assets inside a portfolio to take advantage of pricing inequities within different asset classes. Read more on Market Timing

Momentum Indicators

Momentum indicators are technical indicators that help traders confirm the quality of a buy signal or sell signal. Read more on Momentum Indicators

Momentum Investing

What is momentum investing? It means going long on financial instruments showing upward-trending prices and shorting those with downward-trending prices. Read more on Momentum Investing
Pros And Cons Of Monthly Dividend Stocks

Monthly Dividend Stocks

Investors who want income and reasonable growth are attracted to dividend stocks. Companies that issue dividends are generally not growth stocks Read more on Monthly Dividend Stocks
Most active stocks: Dollar volume vs share volume

Most Active Stocks

What does "most active stocks" mean? The list of most-active stocks identifies the companies that trade the most or the highest dollar volume that trading day. Read more on Most Active Stocks
What is MACD in stocks? Image of the words MACD with a connected background

Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD)

What is MACD in stock trading? Learn about the moving average convergence/divergence (MACD), formula and more with MarketBeat. Read more on Moving Average Convergence Divergence
Municipal bonds written on a pad of paper – what are municipal bonds and how do they work?

Municipal Bonds

What are municipal bonds and how do they work? They are government-issued debt securities used to fund operations or fund capital projects. Learn more. Read more on Municipal Bonds
How do mutual funds work? Guy writing it on a board

Mutual Funds

How do mutual funds work? Mutual funds allow a variety of securities from a particular asset class to to combine into a fund family. Learn how they work. Read more on Mutual Funds

NASDAQ

The Nasdaq Stock Market or NASDAQ. is an American stock exchange. It is the second-largest exchange in the world by market capitalization, Read more on NASDAQ
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Net Asset Value

Net asset value is the value of a fund’s assets minus its liabilities (i.e. net assets) relative to their outstanding shares. Read more on Net Asset Value

Net Income

Net income is the measurement of whether or not a company is making money and, if so, how much profit they are retaining. Read more on Net Income

Net Margin

Net margin (also known as net profit margin) is the amount of revenues that remains as profit after a given period of time. Read more on Net Margin

Neutral Rating

When an analyst rates a stock as neutral they do so with the expectation that the stock is going to trade in a tight range. Read more on Neutral Rating
Market News Sentiment in Investing

News Sentiment

News sentiment is one component of market sentiment and can be bullish or bearish. Keeping track of breaking news, and what that news may mean for a stock, Read more on News Sentiment
What is the Nikkei 225 index?    

Nikkei 225 Index

The Nikkei index is a price-weighted (as opposed to market-cap-weighted index) that tracks the performance of Japan’s top 225 blue-chip companies. Read more on Nikkei 225 Index
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No Load Mutual Funds

What are no-load mutual funds? A no-load fund refers to a mutual fund sold without a commission or sales charge. Learn more from MarketBeat. Read more on No Load Mutual Funds
Non-Fungible Token (NFT) Explained

Non-Fungible Token (NFT)

We’ll attempt to explain what an NFT is, when it originated, and how to purchase one. We’ll also wade into the debate about whether NFTs are collectibles or something more and present the opinions of NFT advocates and critics. Read more on Non-Fungible Token

Operating Income

Operating income is the amount of profit a business realizes from its operations after deducting operating expenses. Read more on Operating Income
OPTIONS TRADING investment in option trade of trader: learn options trading

Options Trading

The options market has become popular as online options brokers have helped investors understand the options market. Learn options trading with MarketBeat. Read more on Options Trading
What Investors Need to Understand About Order Imbalance

Order Imbalance

This article defines how order imbalances impact stock trades including the immutable role of supply and demand and why the concept of liquidity is so important. Read more on Order Imbalance

Outperform Rating

When an analyst gives a stock an outperform rating, it is an indication that the analyst expects the stock to beat the market or market index for that stock Read more on Outperform Rating

Outstanding Shares

Outstanding shares are all the shares of a corporation or financial asset that have been authorized, issued and purchased by investors and are held by them. They have rights and represent ownership in the corporation by the person who holds the shares. Read more on Outstanding Shares

Overbought

When a security is said to be overbought it is said to be trading above its intrinsic value. Read more on Overbought
What does “oversold” mean? Oversold stock meaning and examples

Oversold

What is “oversold” in stocks? Learn more about the oversold stock meaning and examples with MarketBeat. Read more on Oversold
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Overweight Stock

In this article, we'll cover what is an overweight rating, why analysts issue “overweight” ratings and how you can use them to your advantage. Read more on Overweight Stock

P/E Growth (PEG)

What are low PE growth stocks? One of the key ratios that investors use to decide if a stock is correctly valued is the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio. Read more on P/E Growth
Pattern Day Trader - What is the PDT Rule?

Pattern Day Trader

One of the most common rules that throw new traders off is the PDT rule, also known as the Pattern Day Trader rule Read more on Pattern Day Trader
Biggest Stock Losers - Today’s Biggest Percentage Decliners

Percentage Decliners

Trading percentage decliners fit the traditional notion of buying low and selling high because of the theory that most stocks—similar to weather patterns and life events—will seek to find a stable state. That’s why buying stocks that show the biggest declines are often the ones with the biggest upside potential. Read more on Percentage Decliners
What Percentage Gainers Tell Investors and Why They Don’t Tell the Whole Story

Percentage Gainers

Percentage gainers are the stocks that are up the most in terms of their percent change. Percentage gainers do not take into account trading volume. Read more on Percentage Gainers

Portfolio Manager

A portfolio manager is a financial professional or group of professionals who are responsible for purchasing and selling assets in a mutual fund, closed-end fund or exchange-traded fund (ETF). Read more on Portfolio Manager
stock certificates stacked on top of each other; learn what is preferred stock

Preferred Stock

What is preferred stock? It’s a class of stock that has a preferred claim to the assets and earnings of a corporation. Learn how it compares to common stock. Read more on Preferred Stock

Price Target

A price target is an investment analyst’s or adviser’s estimate of the future price level of an asset, such as a stock, futures contract, commodity or exchange-traded fund (ETF). Read more on Price Target

Price-Sales Ratio

Valuation is a term investors use to indicate the degree to which a stock is accurately priced. The price-sales ratio does this by comparing a company’s stock price to its revenues. Read more on Price-Sales Ratio
The Role of Price-to-Book Ratio in Fundamental Analysis

Price-To-Book Ratio

In this article, we'll explain how when used in the right context the price-to-book (P/B) ratio can help value investors identify quality stocks Read more on Price-To-Book Ratio
What is the producer price index? Financial term PPI (Producer Price Index) on blue finance background from graphs, charts, columns, candles, bars, numbers. Trend Up and Down, Flat. 3D illustration. Financial market concept

Producer Price Index (PPI)

What is the producer price index? Learn more about volatility — the rate of change in the prices of a security — with MarketBeat. Read more on Producer Price Index
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Profit Margin

Profit margin is one of the most commonly used profitability ratios that help investors understand what percentage of their sales has become profitable. Read more on Profit Margin
What is a put option

Put Option

A put option is a financial contract between a buyer and a seller. The owner of the put buys the right, but not the obligation, to sell the buyer of the contract 100 shares of a given stock at an agreed-upon price on or before the option's expiration date. Read more on Put Option
What is Put Option Volume?

Put Option Volume

Put option volume means the amount of buying or selling for a particular contract. It is usually similar to the volume of the underlying asset. Read more on Put Option Volume

What is the QQQ ETF? Image of a person pointing to the words ETF.

QQQ ETF

What is the QQQ ETF? The QQQ ETF is an index fund featuring a tiered weighting system focusing on market capitalization. Learn more. Read more on QQQ ETF
Pile of money; learn more: What is quantitative easing?

Quantitative Easing

What is quantitative easing? A quantitative easing program occurs when a nation’s central bank uses newly created money to purchase assets. Learn more. Read more on Quantitative Easing

Quick Ratio

The quick ratio (also known as the acid-test ratio) is a liquidity ratio that can be used as a stand-alone metric of liquidity or used to refine the current ratio. Read more on Quick Ratio
How Does the Quiet Period Work?

Quiet Period

Businesses pursuing an initial public offering (IPO) must enter the quiet period as well as corporate insiders prior to a company's earnings report. Read more on Quiet Period
Quiet Period Expirations Explained

Quiet Period Expirations

Quiet period expirations are the dates upon which a company’s registration for an Initial Public Offering (IPO) has been approved by the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC). Read more on Quiet Period Expirations

Range Trading

Range trading is a trading strategy based on technical analysis of price movement between a defined level of support and resistance. Read more on Range Trading
Do Real Estate Investment Trusts Deserve a Place in Your Portfolio?

Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT)

A Real Estate Investment Trust (or REIT) is made up of a number of real estate companies that own a portfolio of income-producing real estate assets. Read more on Real Estate Investment Trust
Recession Warning Green Road Sign Over Dramatic Clouds and Sky. What causes a recession?

Recession

A recession is a downturn in the economy, requiring economic activity to be depressed over several months. But what causes a recession? Learn more. Read more on Recession
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Resistance Level

Resistance level is the price point where a rise in price slows when the seller volume increases. Learn how to find support and resistance levels in stocks. Read more on Resistance Level
Why the Best Days for Retail Investors May be Yet to Come

Retail Investor

In this article, we’ll define the retail investor and the pros and cons of being a retail investor. We’ll also go into more detail about why it’s never been a better time to be a retail investor Read more on Retail Investor

Retained Earnings

Retained earnings tell you how much profit a company has left over after they have paid out dividends. Retained earnings are different from revenue in the way that disposable income is different from salary. Read more on Retained Earnings
Image of lady looking at a formula on a chalkboard: What is the return on assets ratio formula? Learn more.

Return On Assets Ratio Formula

What is the return on assets ratio (ROA)? It can help you measure return on investment (ROI). Learn more about the return on assets ratio formula and more. Read more on Return On Assets Ratio Formula
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Return On Equity (ROE)

Return on equity measures how well a company generates profits from investments shareholders make in their company. Learn how to calculate return on equity. Read more on Return On Equity

Return On Investment (ROI)

Return on investment (ROI) is a performance measurement that shows your profit on an investment as a percentage of your overall investment. Read more on Return On Investment

Reverse Stock Split

A reverse stock split is a deliberate corporate action where a company reduces the number of outstanding shares in the market while increasing the price per share by a proportional amount, therefore, keeping the market value of the shares the same. Read more on Reverse Stock Split
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Risk Tolerance

Risk tolerance refers to the level of risk you’re willing to take when investing. But how do you determine your level of risk tolerance? Learn more. Read more on Risk Tolerance
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Roth IRA Income Limits

Is a Roth IRA right for you? A Roth IRA is a special type of tax-advantaged individual retirement account for contributing after-tax dollars. Learn more. Read more on Roth IRA Income Limits
What is RSI definition on MarketBeat with an example of Amazon.com

Rsi

What is RSI? The relative strength index (RSI) measures the speed and magnitude of a security's recent price changes. Learn more. Read more on Rsi

Rule Of 72

The Rule of 72 is a simplified equation that can help estimate the number of years required to double the money that is growing at a specified rate of return. Read more on Rule Of 72
What is the S&P 500 index? Image of a phone with an investor looking at the S&P 500.

S&P 500 Index

The Standard and Poor’s (S&P) 500 index is a widely used stock market index that follows the stock price performance of 500 large-cap companies. Learn more. Read more on S&P 500 Index
What is the S&P/ASX 200 Index?

S&P/ASX 200 Index

The S&P/ASX 200 Index is Australia’s equivalent to the S&P 500 in the United States. It is the benchmark institutional investable stock market index in Australia. Read more on S&P/ASX 200 Index
What is the S&P/TSX Index?

S&P/TSX Index

The S&P/TSX Index is essentially Canada’s version of the S&P 500 in the United States. The index tracks the performance of approximately 250 of the largest and most prominent Canadian companies. Read more on S&P/TSX Index
What is a SEC Filing?

SEC Filing

An SEC filing is a series of documents that a publicly traded company must file with the United States Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC). Read more on SEC Filing
What is a secondary public offering? Image of secondary offering with ticker symbols

Secondary Public Offering

A secondary public offering (SPO) is, as the name suggests, a secondary issuing of common shares after the company’s initial public offering (IPO). Read more on Secondary Public Offering

Sell-Side Analysts

Sell-side analysts work for institutions (such as an investment bank or brokerage firm) that receive money from investors. The job of a sell-side analyst is to track the performance of various securities Read more on Sell-Side Analysts
What is the Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index?

Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index

The Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index (or SSE) is the closest approximation to the S&P 500 Index or Dow Jones industrial Average (DJIA) in the United States. Read more on Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index
Highest short interest stocks overview infographic

Short Interest

What is short interest? Short interest represents the number of shares that have been sold short and remain outstanding. Learn more. Read more on Short Interest
What is a special dividend? It's a gift to investors, much like this small present in hand

Special Dividend

What is a special dividend? Learn more about these additional dividends, which are different from regular dividends, with MarketBeat. Read more on Special Dividend
Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) What You Need to Know

Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC)

A special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) is an alternative to the traditional initial public offering process that public companies use to raise capital Read more on Special Purpose Acquisition Company
What is Stagflation and How Can it Affect Your Investments?

Stagflation

Stagflation is a combination of high unemployment combined with slow (or stagnant) economic growth. In this article, we'll look at the relationship between inflation and stagflation and why you can't have one without the other Read more on Stagflation

Stochastic Momentum Index (SMI)

The Stochastic Momentum Index (SMI) is an indicator of momentum for a security. The SMI is used in technical analysis as a refined alternative to a traditional stochastic oscillator. Read more on Stochastic Momentum Index
What is a lockup period?

Stock Lockup Period

What is a stock lockup period? The IPO lockup period is a signed restriction that prevents company shareholders from selling before a company goes public. Read more on Stock Lockup Period
Image of a phone displaying the S&P 500; learn the definition of an index with MarketBeat.

Stock Market Index

A market index is a theoretical portfolio of investment holdings that represent a particular segment of the financial market. Read more on Stock Market Index

Stock Portfolio Tracker

A portfolio tracker is an online tool that takes the place of manual spreadsheets and paper statements by giving investors up-to-the-minute information on all of the investments that make up their portfolio. Read more on Stock Portfolio Tracker
Images of stock research using charts and a magnifying glass: Learn more about how to research stock

Stock Research

Stock research involves analyzing stocks based on factors such as a company’s financials, trajectory and more. Learn how to research a stock with MarketBeat. Read more on Stock Research
Stock Splits, Do They Really Impact Investors?

Stock Split

A stock split is an action taken by a corporation through which they increase the number of their outstanding shares by dividing (or splitting) each share. Read more on Stock Split

Stock Symbol

A stock symbol is an abbreviation used to identify publicly traded shares of a particular stock on a particular stock market. A stock symbol may consist of letters, numbers or a combination of both. Read more on Stock Symbol
Candlestick graph in stock market; learn more about unusual volume stocks

Stocks With Unusual Volume

Unusual volume stocks are often characterized by volume spikes. Learn more about how to find unusual volume stocks in real time. Read more on Stocks With Unusual Volume
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Stop Order

What is a stop order in stocks? A stop order automatically issues a market order to buy or sell a stock once its price reaches a target. Learn more. Read more on Stop Order

Straddles

A straddle is an options trading strategy that takes advantage of the implied volatility (i.e. the price movement) of an underlying asset even when they do not know the exact direction of that movement. Read more on Straddles

Strangles

The strangle strategy in trading options is premised on the anticipation of strong price movement in one direction or another by a particular security. Read more on Strangles

Street Name

To have a security held in street name means an investor, although the real (or beneficial) owner of the security will not have their name listed with the company’s books. Read more on Street Name

Strike Price

The strike price is the price at which the buyer of the option can exercise his option. This is why the strike price is called the exercise price. Read more on Strike Price

Support Level

A support level is a technical indicator of price movement. When an asset is said to be at a support level, it has reached a price floor. Read more on Support Level

Swap

A swap is a form of a derivative instrument where two parties enter into a contract to exchange a sequence of cash flows. This exchange takes place on a specific date or at specific intervals as specified in the contract.  Read more on Swap
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Swing Trading

What is swing trading? Swing trading is a style of trading that attempts to capture short- to medium-term gains over a few days to several weeks. Read more on Swing Trading

Systematic Risk

Systematic risk is most simply defined as the inherent risk an investor takes by having money invested into a specific asset class. Read more on Systematic Risk

Tariff

A tariff is a tax (also referred to as a customs duty) that is applied to foreign goods entering another country. Read more on Tariff

Total Return

Total return is a performance metric that expresses the actual rate of return of an investment or of a portfolio over a period of time. Read more on Total Return
Trade deficit image of a container paddling toward a container ship. What is a trade deficit overview

Trade Deficit

What is a trade deficit? It’s a condition in which one country imports more goods and services than it exports. Learn more. Read more on Trade Deficit

Trade War

A trade war is an economic policy that is instituted when one country responds to a trade imbalance by raising import tariffs on the goods and services from one or more countries. Read more on Trade War

Trading Ex-Dividend

Trading ex-dividend means to enter a trade prior to a stock’s ex-dividend date and closing the trade shortly after the date. Read more on Trading Ex-Dividend
Trading Halts Explained

Trading Halts

In rare circumstances, it has been necessary to suspend trading in a particular stock, or in even rarer occasions, the entire market. Read more on Trading Halts

Trading Strategy

A trading strategy in the stock market is simply a plan designed to make a profit in the stock market by selling short or buying long. Read more on Trading Strategy

Treasury Bonds

A treasury bond is a government bond issued by the United States Treasury Department. Treasury bonds are one fixed-rate security that the United States issues to fund its national debt. Read more on Treasury Bonds
Upside/Downside Explained

Upside/Downside

Analysts use either fundamental or technical analysis to arrive at conclusions about a stock’s future price movement. When a stock has upside, analysts will typically upgrade the stock. Conversely, when a stock has downside, an analyst may downgrade the stock. Read more on Upside/Downside
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Visa And Mastercard

As consumer strength proves unshakeable, these two stocks exist in the action, collecting fees as they go. Analysts are confident on upside potential. Read more on Visa And Mastercard
Most Volatile Stocks, What Investors Need to Know

Volatile Stocks

Most-volatile stocks are companies that have had large price swings, leading to a significant gap between these companies' intraday highs and intraday lows. Read more on Volatile Stocks
Learning about the VIX volatility index: Image of the VIX on a screen

Volatility Index (VIX)

What is the VIX index? Learn more about volatility — the rate of change in the prices of a security — and the volatility index with MarketBeat. Read more on Volatility Index
VWAP definition

Volume-Weighted Average Price (VWAP)

Outlining the power and potential of VWAP: a comprehensive guide and description to the Volume Weighted Average Price indicator for traders. Read more on Volume-Weighted Average Price

How Year-over-Year (YOY) Measurements Can Make You a Smarter Investor

Year-Over-Year (YOY)

In this article, we’ll help investors understand what the year-over-year comparison attempts to measure, the benefits of this measurement to investors, as well as how to calculate YOY when it’s not readily provided Read more on Year-Over-Year

Yield Curve

The yield curve is a visual representation of the relationship between bond yields and the maturity length of different bonds. Read more on Yield Curve

Here are terms both novice investors and seasoned pros should understand

Every profession, passion project, and hobby has its own terminology. The same is true of the stock market. So if you’re going to invest in the stock market, it’s important to know some of the basic terminologies. Understanding these terms can help provide insight into how the stock market works.

In this article, we’ll review some basics about investing in the stock market including how to go about buying stocks. At the end of the article, we’ve compiled a master list of stock market terms. We encourage you to return to this link regularly as a handy reference.

Let’s start with a basic question, what is the stock market? The key thing to understand is that “the market” is not one single entity. It’s a marketplace of all the individuals and institutions that buy and sell stocks. These investors do their trading on several stock market exchanges. Some of the most commonly referenced exchanges are the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the NASDAQ.

Stocks listed on an exchange can be bought and sold. These stocks represent shares of ownership in a company. Companies are willing to sell shares of their company in order to raise capital to fund their own operating expenses or grow the business.

Companies with stocks for purchase on a publicly-traded market must follow certain rules set forth by regulatory agencies like the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission). They must be transparent about their accounting and make their business operations public.

Investors can also purchase stocks privately—they don’t have to be traded on a trading platform like the NYSE or the NASDAQ. However, this carries a bit more risk because privately held companies are not subject to the same regulatory requirements as publicly traded companies.

Despite the myriad complexities of the stock market, learning how to buy stock is not difficult. You can go online or onto an app on your phone, search for a company, and place your trade. The brokerage firm may or may not charge you a small, nominal fee to make the trade. These stocks then go into your portfolio. You can hold on to them as long as you like or sell them when you feel the time is right.

That’s all there is to it.

On the back end, it’s a little more complicated, but you don’t have to worry about any of it. In case you’re curious though, once you indicate an interest in buying or selling a certain stock, a broker finds a buyer or seller on your behalf. Market makers used to pack onto the floor of the stock exchange and fight through the frenzied mob of other stock brokers until they connected with a willing party to the transaction. Today, most matchmaking between buyers and sellers is done electronically.

But as mentioned, from your end, there is not much to it other than clicking on which stocks you want to buy and hitting submit.

The stocks you buy will be common shares. These shares give holders voting rights in the activities of the company. If you own enough shares, you can even effectively take ownership of the company.

There are also preferred shares of stock, which are not readily available to retail investors. These preferred stocks do not carry voting rights, but they do get preferential treatment in regard to dividends, receiving company payouts first. If the company is liquidated, preferred stockholders will also get their money first.

Stock trading is the act of buying or selling stock. Every time an investor buys shares, or fractional shares, of a stock, they make a stock trade. But not all stock traders have the same objectives.

Some investors buy shares of stock with the intention of holding on to them for long periods of time. This is called taking a long position. The objective is to let the stock price appreciate and/or collect dividends. Taking a long position doesn’t necessarily mean these investors are holding the stock forever. However, it’s generally understood that a long position means holding the stock for more than 12 months.

There is nothing wrong with this strategy. In fact, it’s been used by great investors like Warren Buffet to build sizeable wealth.

Other investors take a more active approach to stock trading. Their objective is to capitalize on market fluctuations. The strategy is to buy low and sell high as stock prices go up and down.

Active traders place trades at least 10 times per month. They may follow current events, general market trends, and company activity to time their moves.

Day traders are even more active traders. As the name implies, day traders spend the whole day buying and selling stocks. They may not even need to invest attention in global, market, or company events—they can just watch stock prices. In fact, the most experienced traders can even just rely on stats, trends, and math to make their move.

Of course, without a working, ingrained knowledge of stock trading terminology, everything they know would just be theory. After all, how would a trader know how to make the right type of transaction if they don’t even know what it’s called?

You may not be a day trader, but if you have any interest in dabbling with stocks, you need to know the rules of the game. Even if you’re a passive investor who invests 10% of their income into a mutual fund managed by someone else, you should get to know stock market trading terms. For one thing, you’ll be able to have a more nuanced conversation with your financial advisor. But you’ll also be more likely to identify additional opportunities for income growth as they become available.

If you are an active investor, knowing these stock terms will help you see additional pathways for increasing your cash flow. When there’s a term you don’t understand, you can go down that proverbial rabbit hole and learn a whole new way of trading.

Just keep in mind that the more you know, the more you can leverage your knowledge into profit. The basic stock trading terms are your starting point for this growth.

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