Archives

Trades based on signals from computer programs. These are usually entered directly from the traders computer to the market’s computer system. Program trading accounts for an increasingly larger and larger portion of all trades throughout the day. Additionally, these large trades may be hedged by an offsetting position in index futures.

Charges for items that are both unusual in nature and infrequent in occurrence, such as earthquake-related losses. 

Sales at retail stores or restaurants open at least one year. A chain’s same store sales growth excludes gains due to increases in the number of stores. Same store sales growth in the 5 percent to 10 percent range is considered good.

An order with a volume that combines any number of board lots and an odd lot.

Each province has a securities commission or administrator that oversees the provincial securities act. This act is a set of laws and regulations that set down the rules under which securities may be issued or traded in that province.

Searching the entire universe of mutual funds or stocks meeting user-specified criteria.

The cash denomination of the individual debt instrument. It is the amount of money that the holder of a debt instrument receives back from the issuer on the debt instrument’s maturity date. Face value is also referred to as par value or principal.

A strategy for selecting stocks using screening criteria that have been found to work in the past.

A legal document describing securities being offered for sale to the public. It must be prepared in accordance with provincial securities commission regulations. Prospectus documents usually disclose pertinent information concerning the company’s operations, securities, management and purpose of the offering.

The traditional term for membership on a stock exchange. An investment dealer or brokerage buys a seat on the exchange and one employee is designated as the seat holder. As Toronto Stock Exchange is now demutualized, there are no longer seats on the exchange.