Category: Stock Market Glossary

Holding Period – The length of time someone holds a stock investment.

Holdings – The actual contents of your investment portfolio (think: securities, property, other financial assets). The distribution of your holdings…

Impact Investing – Investing with the intention to generate social and environmental impact alongside a financial return.

Improper Accounting Techniques – Altering a company’s earnings to exaggerate or falsify profits.

Income – Money people earn for the work they do or a gift they receive.

Income Statement – A summary of a company’s revenue, expenses, and income (or loss) over a period of time, such…

Income Stock – A stock with a record of a hefty dividend yield that often exceeds that of the overall…

Index – An index measures the performance of a specific group of assets. An index may measure the performance of…

Index Fund – A mutual fund with the objective to match the composite investment performance of a large group of…

Individual Retirement Account (IRA) – This allows a person, whether covered by an employersponsored pension plan, 401 (k) or not,…

Industry – A group of companies producing similar products or services. The similarity of their products makes it possible to…

Inflation – An increase in the general price level of goods and services.

Initial Margin Requirement – The minimum amount of equity an investor must-have in a brokerage account in order to borrow…

Initial Public Offering (IPO) – An IPO is the first issue of stock for public trading made by a company.

Interest – When you save money in a bank, you may earn interest (money) for keeping it there; when you…

Interest Rate – Percentage rate at which interest accrues on money borrowed and/or lent. Interest is paid on borrowed money…

Internal Factor – Something the company has done like introducing a new product or changing its leaders.

Invest – When you invest you become part owner in a company or loan to a government agency. It is…

Investing – When you buy something with the expectation that it will earn you money over time.

Investing Goals – Life events (college, wedding, purchasing a home), retirement, generating income, wealth preservation (a hedge against inflation).