Your ultimate financial jargon dictionary (Q-Z)

Isobel Lawrance 25th Mar 2022 No Comments

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Do you ever feel like you need a big financial jargon dictionary? The words and phrases used in letters, bank statements, on the radio, television or within newspapers, magazines and books, can leave us scratching our heads.

Even financial journalists can get a little dizzy from the amount of vocabulary out there. That’s why we have put together your ultimate financial jargon dictionary. This guide defines the most common words you may see day to day, as well as some of the more complex terms which you may only come across occasionally.

Don’t let language daunt you. From A to Z, we’ve got you covered. Read our financial jargon dictionary.

• Your ultimate financial jargon dictionary (A-G)
• Your ultimate financial jargon dictionary (H-P)
• Q
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V
• W
• X
• Y
• Z

 

Q

Quarterly Revenue Growth: An increase in sales between quarters.

Quota: A trade restriction on the number of imports and exports a country can make in a period of time.

Quote: The most recent price of an asset.

 

R

Range: The difference between the highest and lowest price of an asset.

Rate of Return: The net gain or loss of an investment over a period of time.

Raw Materials: Materials used in the early production of goods.

Rebate: A sum of money returned to a customer.

Receipt: A written summary of a transaction.

Recession: A decline in economic activity.

Refinance: Revising the terms of a credit agreement.

Reinvestment: Using an asset to buy other assets such as using dividends to buy stocks.

Repayment: Paying back money previously borrowed.

Return: The money made or lost on an investment.

Revenue: Money generated from a business operation.

Risk: The chance an investment return will differ from what is expected.

 

S 

Savings Account: A deposit account held at a bank or other financial institution.

Security: A financial instrument that holds monetary value.

Share Class: Stocks and shares split into different groups to help them become more identifiable.

Shareholder: An individual who owns at least one share in a company.

Shares: Units of equity ownership.

Shortfall: The amount by which a financial obligation is not met.

Solvency: When a company meets long-term debts.

Stagflation: Slow economic growth and high unemployment.

Stakeholder: A party that can either affect or be affected by a company.

Standard of Living: The quality and quantity of good and services available to a country.

Start-up: A company in the first stages of operation.

Stock: Represents the ownership of a fraction of a corporation.

Stock Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs): A security which tracks and set of equities.

Stock Market: A venue where the buying, selling and exchanging of assets takes place.

Subsidy: A benefit given to a person, company or organisation, usually by a government.

Supply: The total amount of a specific good or service available.

Surcharge: An extra fee added to the cost of a good or service.

Surplus: The amount of an asset which exceeds the amount in demand.

 

T

Tariff: The tax imposed on goods imported from another country.

Tax Benefit: A tax law which helps you reduce your tax liability.

Tax Bracket: The range of incomes exposed to an income tax rate.

Tax Break: A benefit which reduced your total tax liability.

Tax Credit: The amount of money that can be subtracted from taxes owed.

Tax Exempt: Any earnings which are not taxed.

Tax Rate: The percentage at which a person or company is taxed.

Tax Relief: A policy which aims to help individuals and businesses reduce their tax.

Taxation: A financial obligation imposed on citizens or businesses.

Taxes: Mandatory financial contributions levied on businesses or individuals.

Taxpayer: A person or businesses obligated to pay taxes.

Tracker Fund: A fund which tracks a broad market index.

Trade: The buying and selling of goods and services.

Trademark: A recognisable word, name or logo which symbolises a particular business or organisation which legally differentiates it from competitors.

Trader: An individual engaged in the buying and selling of goods.

Transaction: An agreement between a buyer and seller.

Trust: When one party gives another party the right to hold title to property or assets for a third party.

Trustee: A person or company that holds and administers property and assets.

 

U

Underperform: When an investment is not keeping the pace of other assets.

Underpricing: Listing an asset below its real value.

Undervalued: An asset selling for below it’s expected price.

Underwriting: When an individual or institution takes on a financial risk for a fee.

Unit Cost: The total expenditure if one unit of a product, including production, storage and selling costs.

Upgrade: A positive change in an asset’s valuation.

 

v

Valuation: The process of determining the worth of an asset.

Value: The assessed worth of an asset, good or service.

Vendor: A party in the supply chain which makes goods and services available to consumers.

Volatility: How much an assets price varies from the mean price.

 

W

Waiver: The act of forfeiting a claim.

Warrant: Something that gives the right to sell an asset.

Wealth: Measures the value of all assets owned by a person.

 

X

 

Y

Year to Date (YTD): The period of time from the beginning of the current calendar or fiscal year up to the current date.

Yield: Earning generated on an investment over a period of time.

 

Z

Zero Capital Gains Rate: A tax rate of 0% on capital gains.

Zero Percent: A promotional interest rate used to gain new customers.

 

• Your ultimate financial jargon dictionary (A-G)
• Your ultimate financial jargon dictionary (H-P)

Source: Investopedia.com