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Whisper Number

Analysts publish earnings forecasts for companies they follow. Sometimes analysts publish a lower number than they really believe to reduce chances of a negative surprise, but they supposedly “whisper” what they really think to their best friends. Most whisper numbers you see on the Web are simply the analysts’ consensus forecasts plus the average of the most recent two or three earnings surprises. 

Write

To write an option is to sell an option. The person who sells the option is considered to be the writer.

Yield

This is the measure of the return on an investment and is shown as a percentage. A stock yield is calculated by dividing the annual dividend by the stock’s current market price. For example, a stock selling at $50 and with an annual dividend of $5 per share yields 10%. A bond yield is a more complicated calculation, involving annual interest payments, plus amortizing the difference between its current market price and par value over the life of the bond.

Trading Halt

A trading halt is imposed by the exchange, usually due to the dissemination of news that might impact a stock’s price.

Trading Issue

The status of a listed security of an issuer whose trading privileges are active on the Exchange.

Trading Number

The unique, 3-digit number assigned to each Participating Organization and Member to identify it for market transparency.

Trading Range

A trading range occurs when a stock or average moves up and down between a consistent high and low for an extended period of time (days, to weeks, to months). The bottom of the range becomes fairly solid support as the top becomes fairly solid resistance the more times either holds. We play stocks within the trading ranges if they are loose enough to give us some room to maneuver, e.g., a 5 point range or more. A tight trading range is one that is significantly narrower than a particular stock?s usual trading fluctuations. A tight trading range on low volume is usually a very good indicator that a move up is coming.