Free trade is when countries can buy and sell goods with one another without any government barriers like tariffs or, at the extreme, an embargo. That doesn’t mean you get stuff for free, it just means the government isn’t adding any extra costs to your purchase.
Archive for the ‘Daily Definition’ Category
Free Trade is…
Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009A Broker is…
Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009A broker is a person or company that charges a commission to buy and sell assets for an investor.
An Annual Report is…
Monday, July 20th, 2009An annual report is a document required by the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) to be sent to a company’s shareholders at the end of every year. The report details the company’s financial results for the prior 12 months, past years and their outlook for the future. Most nonprofits also publish annual reports.
An Endowment is…
Monday, July 20th, 2009An endowment is an income, permanent fund, or form of property attached to a person or institution in order to accomplish a specific goal. For example, many colleges have endowments their administrations can draw upon to improve themselves (to provide financial aid money, pay high salaries to attract top professors, finance new campus buildings, and so on).
A Proposal is…
Monday, July 20th, 2009A proposal is a formal plan presented to a potential buyer or investor. Although there are many specific types of proposals, a basic business proposal might describe what you’re selling, how you plan to get it to the buyer, and anything else that seems important in addition to the cost.
A Depression is…
Friday, July 17th, 2009A depression is a period of decline in a country or stock market that is especially long and severe. It is generally considered a decline in the GDP of 10% or more or for a period of longer than three years.
The GDP is…
Friday, July 17th, 2009The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is the value of all goods and services (output) produced in a country in a given year. It’s often used as a measurement of that country’s economic activity.
A Quarter is…
Friday, July 17th, 2009A quarter is one of four three-month periods that make up a fiscal year (a “quarter” of the fiscal year, in other words).
An Audit is…
Friday, July 17th, 2009An audit is an independent investigation of an individual’s or corporation’s accounts to make sure they are correct. For example, the IRS can conduct an audit of your records if your tax returns look suspicious.
Collateral is…
Friday, July 17th, 2009Collateral is something of value (e.g. your house, your credit card, your firstborn) that you give to a lender until you’ve repaid your debt. If you don’t repay your debt, the lender gets to keep whatever you’ve put up as collateral. For instance, if you loan your friend $10, you can keep his sunglasses as collateral until he gives you the money back.