A financial professional who studies various industries and companies, providing research and valuation reports, and making buy, sell, and hold recommendations. Taobiz explains Security Analyst Be very wary of a broker who calls an investment a "sure thing" or "easy money." There's no such thing! You can usually trust analysts with the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, as they are required to follow a code of ethics.
When a brokerage lends securities owned by its clients to short sellers. Taobiz explains Securities Lending This allows brokers to create additional revenue (commissions) on the short sale transaction.
The former name of a regulatory body consisting of the National Association of Securities Dealers and the New York Stock Exchange Regulation. The Securities Industry Regulatory Authority was formed to govern business practices between securities brokers and the investing public. SIRA aims to reduce the cost inefficiencies of these two regulators operating separately. Taobiz explains Securities Industry Regulatory Authority - SIRA The SIRA name was short lived, eventually changing to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA. The change was made after complaints were issued regarding the close resemblance SIRA had to the Arabic term "Sirah". Sirah refers to biographical texts about Muhammad, prompting the NASD and NYSE to reconsider the name.
A type of serious white-collar crime in which a person or company, such as a stockbroker, brokerage firm, corporation or investment bank, misrepresents information that investors use to make decisions. Securities Fraud can also be committed by independent individuals (such as by engaging in insider trading). The types of misrepresentation involved in this crime include providing false information, withholding key information, offering bad advice, and offering or acting on inside information. Taobiz explains Securities Fraud Allegations of securities fraud are investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD). The crime can carry both criminal and civil penalties, resulting in imprisonment and fines. Some common types of securities fraud include manipulating stock prices, lying on SEC filings, and committing accounting fraud. Some famous examples of securities fraud are the Enron, Tyco, Adelphia and WorldCom scandals.
A government commission created by Congress to regulate the securities markets and protect investors. In addition to regulation and protection, it also monitors the corporate takeovers in the U.S. The SEC is composed of five commissioners appointed by the U.S. President and approved by the Senate. The statutes administered by the SEC are designed to promote full public disclosure and to protect the investing public against fraudulent and manipulative practices in the securities markets. Generally, most issues of securities offered in interstate commerce, through the mail or on the internet must be registered with the SEC. Taobiz explains Securities And Exchange Commission - SEC Here's an example of an activity that falls within the SEC's domain: if someone purchases more than 5% of a company's equity, he or she must report to the SEC within 10 days of the purchase because of the takeover threats it may cause.
An issue of bonds, preferred stock or other securities that represents the first priority lien on the issuer's assets or earnings. Senior issues have a higher priority claim on a firm's dividends, interest payments, or in case of a bankruptcy, the value salvaged from a liquidation. Taobiz explains Senior Issue Priority levels may change in the subordinated debt structure. An issue that is considered senior may lose that title in certain situations. For example, if a firm claims bankruptcy and begins acting as a debtor in possession (DIP), it may attempt to raise more funds to keep operations going. A new lender may require its lien to be given top priority, forcing the current senior issue of bonds down the claims ladder.
A materials product - usually comprised of silicon - which conducts electricity more than an insulator but less than a pure conductor, such as copper and aluminum. Semiconductors are usually very small and complex devices, and can be found in thousands of products such as computers, cell phones, appliances, and medical equipment. Also known as "chips" or "semis". Taobiz explains Semiconductor As semiconductors have evolved and become more powerful, they have propelled many industries forward into a technological age. They are still an expensive component in many devices, so their pricing and demand trends go a long way in determining the profit potential of companies that sell devices with semiconductors in them. Chips are made by the billions each year, and their sales & pricing trends are widely followed by analysts as a harbinger of technology-related profits. Semiconductor makers often see "boom and bust" cycles based on the underlying demand for chip-based products. When times are good profit margins can run very high for chipmakers; when demand falls through however, chip prices can fall dramatically and have a major affect on many industries' supply chains.
A class of EMH (Efficient Market Hypothesis) that implies all public information is calculated into a stock's current share price. Meaning that neither fundamental nor technical analysis can be used to achieve superior gains. Taobiz explains Semi-Strong Form Efficiency This class of EMH suggests that only information that is not publicly available can benefit investors seeking to earn abnormal returns on investments. All other information is accounted for in the stocks price and, regardless of the amount of fundamental and technical analysis one performs, above normal returns will not be had.