A mentality characterized by a lack of individuality, causing people to think and act like the general population. This term is used in the investing world to refer to the forces that cause unsubstantiated rallies or sell-offs.
An internet-based, government-regulated market that allows traders to perform hedging activities or speculate on specific economic events. Binaries and futures contracts are provided on different markets including commodities, currencies, employment, inflation and other economic indicators. HedgeStreet was developed to give the average investor the ability to profit from the outcomes of certain economic events. HedgeStreet benefits small investors by having small contract sizes at low prices. HedgeStreet is regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
The number of degrees that a day's average temperature is below 65o Fahrenheit (18o Celsius), the temperature below which buildings need to be heated. The price of weather derivatives traded in the winter is based on an index made up of monthly HDD values. The settlement price for a weather futures contract is calculated by summing HDD values for a month and multiplying that sum by $20. To calculate HDD, take the average of a day's high and low temperatures and subtract from 65. For example, if the day's average temperature is 50o F, its HDD is 15. If every day in a 30-day month had an average temperature of 50o F, the month's HDD value would be 450 (15 x 30). The nominal settlement value for this month's weather derivative contract would therefore be $9,000 (450 x $20).
A strategy in which investment in a particular line of business is reduced or eliminated because the revenue brought in by additional investment would not warrant the expense. A harvest strategy is employed when a line of business is considered to be a cash cow, meaning that the brand is mature and is unlikely to grow if more investment is added. The company will instead siphon off the revenue that the cash cow brings in until the brand is no longer profitable. Firms generally use profits from mature brands to increase funding for more promising lines of business. For example, a telecommunications company may take profits from its land line business to supplement research and development for its wireless communications business if growth and profits in the wireless business are more likely. Advances in technology and changes in consumer behavior dictate which brands become cash cows.
A slang term describing the leader or person in charge of an organization. The CEO of a company could be referred to as the honcho or "head honcho."
An individual who holds a large mortgage with little or no equity in the home. The term "home debtor" is often used to describe those who will likely never be able to pay off their mortgage because of the costs associated with home ownership, such as property taxes, mortgage payments, insurance and necessary repairs. Unfortunately, millions of individuals fall into the category of home debtor, and with the high costs of owning a home, this term is often more appropriate than the commonly used word "homeowner." It is important for any person who is looking to buy a house to understand the underlying costs of the purchase and to ensure that they can afford to make the required payments.
An anti-competitive bidding practice in which a market participant (or trader) offers an extremely high price for a small portion of a good. The name derives from the price curve of this practice, which resembles a hockey stick. This is considered to be a fraudulent practice of pushing up prices. Market participants submit offers at extremely high prices because they know that the demand for their good is sure to be high. A good example of this occurred during the California energy crisis of 2001. Energy traders knew that California would need all available power and would be willing to pay any price to get it.
A situation whereas an employer has temporarily put into place that no further new hirings will occur for the foreseeable future. This type of cost-saving effort is put into place as a result of budgetary concerns, and to capitalize upon existing production capacity. A hiring freeze can put a strain on existing employees, as there might not be any replacements for individuals that leave the company (ie. retirement, maternity leave or regular turnover). If the situation gets too extreme, overall performance may suffer and the company will need to make exceptions to the hiring freeze.