Archive for the ‘Daily Definition’ Category

Life Expectancy At Birth is…

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

Life expectancy at birth is how many years a newborn baby can expect to live if current mortality rates remain the same – i.e., if the people in a given country continue to die from disease, famine, war, or anything else at the same rates that they currently do. It’s used to demonstrate the general health conditions of a country or region.

A Savings Rate is…

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

A savings rate is the percentage of your disposable income that you save. For example, if your annual savings rate is 5%, that means you save 5% of your disposable income every year.

A Borrower is…

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

A borrower is someone to whom money is lent with the expectation that it will be paid back. If you’re not planning on paying it back, it’s either a gift or you’re stealing.

Real Loss is…

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

Real loss is a financial loss whose value is adjusted for inflation. For example, if an investor lost $2,000 on the stock market 20 years ago, and inflation has risen 25% since then, the real loss is 25% smaller, or $2,500.

A Deficit is…

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

A deficit is a term that describes the phrase “you owe more than you have.” It can also relate to losing more than winning, or spending more than you are making.

Global Climate Change (GCC) is…

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

Global climate change is the sum of all the alterations in the Earth’s climate that are happening as a result of human activities – most notably the emission of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. GCC includes global warming but also includes increases in storms, droughts, and other extreme weather. Global climate change is already and will continue to have a great impact on the global economy, health, and safety of people around the world.

Development is…

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

Development is the process through which relatively poor countries’ economies become richer, larger, and more complicated. In addition to simple economic growth, development also implies the formation of financial institutions and a diversity of industries and activities. Economies undergoing development are also called developing countries or emerging markets. The development of China in the last 20 or so years from a relatively poor, rural, state-led economy into a vibrant, dynamic, more capitalist power has impressed many journalists and economists alike.

A Loan Commitment is…

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

A loan commitment is a promise by a lender to loan a predetermined sum to a borrower on specific terms.

A Probate is…

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

A probate is either a) the process of officially proving that a will is legitimate or b) a will that has already gone through that process.

Overhead is…

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

Overhead is the cost or expense of the general upkeep or running of a business, nonprofit, plant, or any other property. Overhead does not include the costs of production or sale of goods.