A mutual fund that invests principally in stocks. It can be actively or passively (index fund) managed. Also known as a "stock fund". Taobiz explains Equity Fund Stock mutual funds are principally categorized according to company size, the investment style of the holdings in the portfolio and geography: Size is determined by a company's market capitalization, while the investment style, reflected in the fund's stock holdings, is also used to categorize equity mutual funds. Stock funds are also categorized by whether they are domestic (U.S.) or international. These can be broad market, regional or single-country funds. There are so-called "specialty" stock funds that target business sectors such as healthcare, commodities and real estate.
The set of all the call options or all the put options for a particular stock, index fund, or futures security on a listed exchange. The number of options available for purchase or sale within a given option class will depend on the size and trading volume of the underlying company or index, as well as overall market conditions. An options class can be studied as a gauge of investor sentiment for a given security, as activity in the all of the calls (options to buy) or all of the puts (options to sell) along with premium values signify investors' bets on future price activity. With the advent of LEAPs, these evaluations can go out as far as a year, or more.
A filing status for married couples who choose to record their respective incomes, exemptions and deductions on separate tax returns. In most cases, married filing jointly offers the most tax savings, especially when the spouses have different income levels. However, there is a potential tax advantage to filing separately when one spouse has significant medical expenses or miscellaneous itemized deductions. According to the IRS, if you and your spouse file separate returns and one of you itemizes deductions, the other spouse will have a standard deduction of zero. Therefore, the other spouse should also itemize deductions. Some credits cannot be used at all if you file separately; these include the child and dependent care credit, hope and lifetime learning credits, and adoption expense credit. If you live in community property states including Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington or Wisconsin, you may need to see a tax professional because the rules about separate incomes can be tricky.
The price at which an investor buys an investment. The entry point is usually a component of a predetermined trading strategy for minimizing investment risk and removing the emotion from trading decisions. Recognizing a good entry point is the first step in achieving a successful trade. Taobiz explains Entry Point For example, an investor researches and identifies an attractive stock, but feels that it is overpriced. He decides that when the price decreases to a certain level, he will buy. This is his entry point. Exercising patience and waiting for the right time to buy will help him earn better returns on his investments. Determining both an entry point and exit point in advance are important strategies for investors who want to maximize their returns.
A law that requires that a minimum rate of interest be charged on any loan transaction between two parties. The minimum-interest rules mandate that even if no rate is charged by the lender, an arbitrary rate shall be automatically imposed upon the loan. The minimum-interest rules are at least partly intended to prevent excess gifting between taxpayers via intra-family loans with no or below-market interest rates. Minimum-interest rules are fairly complex and have been subject to numerous changes and modifications. There are separate rules for personal and commercial loans and sales of property that are financed by the seller. For more information, consult Sections 7872, 1274 and 483 of the Internal Revenue Code.
A hedged position in which the offsetting position is for a greater amount than the underlying position held by the firm entering into the hedge. The over-hedged position essentially locks in a price for more goods, commodities or securities than is required to protect the position held by the firm. For example, if a firm entered into a January futures contract to sell 25,000 mm Btu at $6.50/mm Btu but the firm had only an inventory of 15,000 mm Btu that they're trying to hedge, but due to the size of the futures contract the firm now has excess futures contracts that amount to 10,000 mm Btu, this would be a speculative investment.
The act of raising money for company activities by selling common or preferred stock to individual or institutional investors. In return for the money paid, shareholders receive ownership interests in the corporation. Also known as "share capital". Taobiz explains Equity Financing This is when a company raises money by issuing stock. The other way to raise money is through debt financing, which is when the company borrows money.
The amount per $1,000 that is used to calculate taxes on property. Millage rates are most often found in personal property taxes, where the expressed millage rate is multiplied by the total taxable value of the property to arrive at the property taxes due. Millage rates are also used by school boards to calculate local school taxes to be collected, based on a derivation of the total property value within school district boundaries. The term is derived from the root word mill, which means "thousand". Millage rates are often expressed mathematically with the symbol %o, as in 1%o, which is one part per thousand, or 0.1%. Millage rates for individual properties are usually found on the property deed itself.