Business Vocabulary, Class 05/11/09

to buy in bulk - to purchase items in mass, a large quantity or volume


date of expiration - when the date on which an option, right or warrant expires, and becomes worthless if not exercised.

at par - the sale of a security, typically a bond, at a price equal to its face value

bear market - A prolonged period in which investment prices fall, accompanied by widespread pessimism.

money laundering - is a process whereby the origin of funds generated by illegal means is concealed (drug trafficking, gun smuggling, corruption, etc.

promissory note - document signed by a borrower promising to repay a loan under agreed-upon terms. also called note

stock dividend - a portion of the net earnings of a corporation paid to the corporation's stockholders of record, with the payment consisting of additional shares of stock or cash.

endorsement - An owner's signature that serves to transfer the legal rights to a negotiable certificate to another party, as on a check

abaft - toward or at the stern : aft

abase - to lower in rank, office, prestige, or esteem

Business Vocabulary, Class 05/04/09

litigation - legal action against an individual or organization
EX: Litigation has increased significantly over the years.

protectionism - protecting a country’s trade by taxing foreign goods
EX: Protectionism usually increases the prices of basic goods to the consumer.

quota - an official limit on the amount of something
EX: Quotas have been imposed on 25 categories of imported clothing.

subsidy - money given by a government to certain producers to help them to produce without losing money
EX: World Bank economists are urging rich countries to cut subsidies to certain industries.

overload - an excessive quantity of something
EX: You may be overwhelmed by the overload of information that is available on the Net.

prioritize - to put things in the order of importance so that you can deal with the most important things first
EX: Prioritizing your work will help you to avoid backlogs

white-collar - employees who work in offices
EX: White-collar jobs are moving abroad.

supply chain - the interactions between the suppliers, manufacturers and distributors when making and selling a product
EX: Information technology has changed the dynamics of the supply chain

breakthrough - an important new discovery
EX: The iMac was a major breakthrough in computer design.

prototype - the first form that a new design takes
EX: The prototype has revealed areas where the design can be improved

US Unemployment Rate Hits 25-Year High

...as the BBC reports...