Descriptionary

stock an equity or ownership interest in a corpora­tion through which earnings are paid out according to the number of shares owned. Stock may also entitle the holder to a vote in important corporate affairs.

stock exchange the marketplace where stocks and bonds are traded.

stock watcher a service that monitors trading on the New York Stock Exchange to prevent unethical or fraudulent trading practices.

stop order an order to a broker to buy or sell a security when it reaches a specific price.

Street, the short for Wall Street.

street name securities held in the name of a broker instead of the name of the owner, as required when securities are purchased on margin.

strip to buy stock only for their dividends.

sweetener a bonus feature tacked on to a security to make it more attractive to investors.

swooner any security that is overly sensitive and reacts poorly to bad news in the marketplace.

tailgating a broker's practice of buying or selling for his own account the same security an influential client has just placed an order on, an unethical use of privileged trading information.

take a flyer to invest in a high-risk security; to speculate.

takeover a buying-out of the controlling interest in a corporation and, in hostile instances, the install­ment of new management.

target company a corporation that is threatened with a takeover.

TARP Troubled Asset Relief Program, the largest component of the government program in 2008 to address the subprime mortgage crisis by buying assets and equity from financial institutions.

ticker the electronic display of stock exchange trad­ing activity.

toehold purchase the purchase of 5 percent of a takeover target's stock, which requires the buyer to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission if a takeover attempt is forthcoming.

tombstone the plain or unadorned advertisement in a newspaper of a new stock offering.

ton bond investor's slang for $100 million.

toxic asset

any asset that cannot be sold without incurring a large loss.

trader one who buys and sells securities.

triple watching hour the massive trading that occurs when options and futures on stock indexes expire on the last trading hour of the third Friday of March, June, September, and December.

turkey a poorly performing investment.

twisting broker's unethical practice of persuading a client to make frequent trades in order to generate more commissions.

undervalued referring to a security that is selling for less than what analysts believe it is worth.

underwriter the investment banker who insures and distributes a corporation's new issue of securities.

undigested securities new stocks or bonds that have yet to be purchased due to a lack of investor interest.

unlisted security a security traded over the counter as distinguished from one traded on the floor of a stock exchange.

volatile a term commonly used to describe an unsta­ble or rapidly fluctuating stock price or stock market.

volume the number of securities traded in a specific period.

voting stock stock that entitles the holder to a vote in important corporate affairs.

Wall Street in lower Manhattan, the financial dis­trict where the New York Stock Exchange, American Stock Exchange, and many investment-oriented firms are located. Also known as the Street.

war babies the stock and bonds of companies involved in defense contracts.

war brides war babies.

whipsawed of a security, bought just before its price drops and then resold just before its price rises.

white knight an acquirer or acquiring company that is welcomed by a takeover target.

white squire a white knight who buys less than a controlling interest in a corporation.

widow and orphan stock any very reliable and safe stock that pays high dividends.

zero-coupon bond

a long-term investment bond through which interest is only paid at maturity.

QQD AND DRINK

appetizers

angels on horseback oysters wrapped in bacon.

antipasto Italian term for appetizer. The plural is antipasti.

baba ghanoush a Middle Eastern dip made from mashed eggplant, garlic, olive oil, and tahini, usually served on pita bread. Also spelled baba gannoujh.

buffalo wings spicy, fried chicken wings or chicken wing pieces, usually coated in hot sauce or barbecue sauce, reportedly originating in a bar in Buffalo, New York, in the 1960s. Traditionally, buffalo wings are served with celery sticks and a dip of blue cheese dressing.

canape a cracker or small piece of bread spread with meat, cheese, or other topping.

caviar the salted eggs of sturgeon or salmon, eaten as a spread.