Financial Instruments

Shareholder Debt: Tax-Deductible Equity
Shareholder debt is a type of risk-bearing equity treated as debt for tax purposes. It is commonly associated with private equity firms and highly leveraged funding arrangements.
Short-Dated Security: Financial Instrument with Brief Maturity
A detailed examination of short-dated securities, which are financial instruments that have a maturity period of under five years when first issued. Understand their types, benefits, key events, and more.
Single Name CDSs: Definition and Overview
An in-depth look into Single Name Credit Default Swaps (CDSs), their definition, function, and implications in financial markets.
Soft Loan: Understanding Favorable Financial Support
Explore the concept of Soft Loans, their types, historical context, key events, mathematical models, importance, applicability, related terms, and more.
Stock Options: Contracts Granting the Right to Purchase Company Shares at a Set Price
Stock Options are financial instruments giving employees or executives the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell company stock at a predetermined price within a specified timeframe, often used as a form of compensation and incentive.
Stock Returns Note: Explanation and Insights
An in-depth exploration of Stock Returns Notes, including historical context, key events, types, detailed explanations, mathematical models, importance, and applicability in finance.
Stop Orders: Triggers and Executions in Trading
Stop Orders are a type of trade order that activates once a set price level is reached, converting into market orders that may become held orders.
Substitute Cheque: An Integral Component of Modern Banking
A Substitute Cheque, also known as an Image Replacement Document (IRD), is a paper copy of an original cheque that is created digitally as part of the cheque truncation process.
SWAP: Financial Instrument for Exchange of Cash Flows
A comprehensive overview of SWAPs including their types, historical context, key events, importance, applicability, examples, related terms, comparisons, interesting facts, and more.
Swaps: Agreements to Exchange Cash Flows
Swaps are financial derivatives wherein two parties agree to exchange cash flows or other financial instruments based on specified terms.
Tax Treatment: Understanding How Different Financial Instruments Are Taxed
A comprehensive guide to the tax treatment of various financial instruments, including ISOs, NSOs, Traditional and Roth IRAs, and their respective tax implications.
Trading Flexibility: Key Advantage in Financial Instruments
A comprehensive explanation of trading flexibility, its significance in financial markets, and how it differentiates financial instruments like SPDRs from mutual funds in terms of trading dynamics.
Tranche: A Specific Class of Bonds
Understanding Tranche - a specific class of bonds within an offering of bonds. Discover its historical context, types, key events, importance, applicability, examples, and more.
Transferable vs. Negotiable: Understanding Key Financial Terms
An in-depth exploration of transferable and negotiable instruments in finance, their historical context, types, key events, mathematical models, and real-world applications.
Treasury Bill: A Short-Dated Government Security
A comprehensive overview of Treasury Bills, short-dated government securities issued at a discount and regarded as highly liquid financial assets.
Underlying: Asset, Measure, or Obligation Base for Derivatives
An in-depth look at underlying assets, measures, or obligations that form the foundation for derivatives such as options and futures contracts.
Unpaid Cheque: Definition, Causes, and Implications
A detailed exploration of unpaid cheques, their causes, implications, historical context, examples, and important considerations.
Valuation Date: Assessing the Value of Financial Instruments
An in-depth exploration of the valuation date, including its historical context, types, key events, explanations, formulas, importance, applicability, examples, related terms, and more.
Vanilla Options: Standard Options with No Barrier Levels
Vanilla Options are standard financial options that do not have any barrier levels or complex features. They are the most straightforward type of option contract.
Variable-Rate Note: An Adjustable Interest Bond
A Variable-Rate Note (VRN) is a bond that features an interest coupon adjusted at regular intervals based on prevailing market rates, differing from floating-rate notes by having an adjustable margin.
Vouchers vs. Coupons: Understanding the Difference
Vouchers are a form of scrip issued for specific entitlements, while coupons generally grant discounts or deals. Discover the nuances and applications of these financial instruments in this detailed comparison.
Warrant: Financial Instrument and Document
A comprehensive overview of warrants, including share warrants, warehouse warrants, key events, detailed explanations, examples, and more.
Warrants: An Instrument Giving the Right to Purchase Stock
Warrants are financial instruments that grant the holder the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell an underlying stock at a specified price before expiration.
Annuity in Advance: Series of Equal Payments at the Beginning of the Period
An annuity in advance is a series of equal or nearly equal payments made at the beginning of each period, commonly used in lease agreements and certain types of loans.
Asset-Backed Securities: Bonds or Notes Backed by Financial Assets
Asset-Backed Securities (ABS) are financial instruments backed by loan paper or accounts receivable originated by banks, credit card companies, or other providers of credit, often enhanced by a bank letter of credit or by insurance coverage provided by an external institution.
Bank Draft: A Comprehensive Overview
In-depth definition and explanation of a Bank Draft, its key features, and comparison with a Bill of Exchange. Includes historical context, examples, and FAQs.
Best Efforts Arrangement: Investment Bankers Selling Securities
A detailed overview of the Best Efforts Arrangement where investment bankers act as agents with the authority to sell securities without the obligation to buy them outright.
Book-Entry Securities: Digital Financial Instruments
Book-Entry Securities are financial instruments that exist solely in electronic form and do not have physical certificates. These include various types of bonds, stocks, and other securities recorded and tracked through computerized systems.
Call Premium: Financial Definition and Implications
A comprehensive guide to understanding Call Premium, its significance in options trading and bonds, including calculation, examples, and related terms.
Cash Equivalent: A Form of Payment Comparable to Cash
In-depth coverage of cash equivalents, including types, examples, historical context, applicability, comparisons, related terms, and FAQs.
Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT): World's Oldest Futures and Options Exchange
A comprehensive guide to the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT), the world's oldest futures and options exchange, its history, operations, and merger with CME Group.
Collateralized Bond Obligation (CBO): A Comprehensive Guide
An in-depth exploration of Collateralized Bond Obligations (CBOs), their structure, features, historical context, types, and their role within the financial markets.
Commercial Paper: Short-Term Financial Instruments
Commercial Paper: Short-term obligations with maturities ranging from 2 to 270 days, issued by banks, corporations, and other borrowers. These unsecured instruments provide flexible debt options at potentially lower rates.
Common Stock Equivalent: Convertible Instruments and Potential Dilution
Common stock equivalent refers to securities such as preferred stock, convertible bonds, or warrants that can be converted into common stock, potentially diluting the equity of existing common shareholders.
Coupon Bond: Bond With Detachable Coupons for Interest Payments
A `coupon bond` is a bond issued with detachable coupons that must be presented to a paying agent or the issuer for semiannual interest payments. It is a type of bearer bond, meaning whoever presents the coupon is entitled to the interest.
Currency Futures: Contracts in the Futures Markets for Major Currencies
Currency Futures are contracts in the futures markets that are for delivery in a major currency such as U.S. dollars, Euros, or Japanese yen. Corporations that sell products globally can hedge the risk of adverse exchange rate movements with these futures.
Currency Swap: An Exchange of Currencies
In-depth exploration of currency swaps, including their mechanism, types, applications, historical context, and significance in financial markets.
Demand Loan: A Flexible Borrowing Option Payable on Request
A demand loan is a type of loan that is payable on request by the creditor rather than on a specific date, offering flexibility to both lenders and borrowers.
Exchange-Traded Notes (ETNs): Structured Debt with Index Performance
Exchange-Traded Notes (ETNs) are senior unsecured debt instruments that track the performance of a specific index, offering a unique investment option with both returns and risks tied to the creditworthiness of the issuer.
Exercise: Utilizing a Contractual Right
Exercise refers to the act of utilizing a right available in a contract. For example, in options, it involves buying the property, and in convertible securities, it means making the exchange.
Exercise Price: The Amount at Which an Option can be Exercised
The exercise price, also known as the strike price, is the fixed price at which the holder of an option can buy (in the case of a call option) or sell (in the case of a put option) the underlying stock, or the price at which a convertible security can be redeemed for shares of stock.
Face Value: Understanding Nominal Worth in Financial Instruments
Comprehensive explanation of face value, its significance in financial instruments such as bonds and checks, and comparison with market value.
Forward Contract: Detailed Financial Agreement Overview
A forward contract entails the actual future purchase or sale of a specific quantity of a commodity, financial instrument, or other asset at a price agreed upon today. Learn about its features, types, and real-world applications.
Futures Contract: Agreement to Buy or Sell Specified Assets at a Future Date
A futures contract is an agreement to buy or sell a specific amount of a commodity or financial instrument at a predetermined price on a specific future date, obligating both parties to transact unless the contract is sold to another party before the settlement date.
Guarantee Letter: Definition and significance
A comprehensive guide to understanding Guarantee Letters, their uses, examples, historical context, and relevance in finance and banking.
Instrumentality: Federal Agency Obligations Explained
An in-depth overview of Instrumentality in the context of federal agencies whose obligations, while not direct obligations of the U.S. government, are sponsored or guaranteed by the government, backed by the full faith and credit of the government.
Interest Rate Swap: Comprehensive Guide
An in-depth exploration of interest rate swap agreements, their functioning, types, historical context, and practical applications.
Kangaroo Bonds: Bonds Denominated in Australian Dollars and Sold in Australia by Foreign Firms
Comprehensive coverage of Kangaroo Bonds, covering their definition, types, special considerations, and historical context. Understand the key aspects and benefits of Kangaroo Bonds in this detailed entry.
Marketable Securities: Easily Sold Financial Instruments
Marketable securities refer to financial instruments that are liquid, can be quickly converted into cash, and are often kept as short-term investments on a corporation's balance sheet. Examples include government securities, banker's acceptances, and commercial paper.
Mortgage-Backed Certificate: Security Backed by Mortgages
A mortgage-backed certificate is a financial instrument backed by mortgages, where investors receive payments from the interest and principal on the underlying mortgages.
Note, Note Payable: Understanding Debt Instruments
A comprehensive definition of Note and Note Payable, which are written promises to pay a specific sum of money to a designated party by a definite or determinable future date. This entry also explores related terms like Promissory Note and provides examples and historical context.
On Demand: Payable Upon Request
An 'On Demand' financial instrument allows the holder to request payment at any time. This includes instruments like demand notes, which lack a specified due date.
Options: Financial and Practical Choices
Options refer to things one purchases to add to a basic product, alternative courses of action that face a decision-maker, and the financial right, but not obligation, to buy or sell property.
Order Paper: Definition and Detailed Explanation
Order Paper, a negotiable instrument that is payable to a specified person or their assignee rather than to cash or bearer. Detailed overview including types, special considerations, examples, and related terms.
Paper Gold: A Versatile Financial Instrument
Paper gold certificates are financial instruments that represent ownership of a certain amount of gold. These certificates can be converted into physical gold at the issuer's office, whether private or governmental. Often used in exchanges for convenience.
Pass-Through Certificate: Income-Earning Investment
A pass-through certificate is an investment that receives income from another form, often a pool of mortgages, with income passed through to the certificate holders.
Perpetuity: Never Ending Financial Concept
A perpetuity is a financial instrument that pays a never-ending series of periodic payments. It is commonly used in the contexts of finance, economics, and legal frameworks such as the rule against perpetuities.
Power of Attorney (POA): Legal Authorization Detailed Guide
An in-depth explanation of Power of Attorney (POA), a legal instrument used to grant an agent the authority to act on behalf of a principal, including types, applications, and legal implications.
Put Option: Right to Sell a Specified Number of Shares by a Certain Date
A put option contract grants the holder the right to sell a specific number of shares at a specified price by a certain date. It is considered a capital asset when held by a nondealer.
Recourse Loan: Comprehensive Overview and Analysis
A detailed examination of recourse loans; their definition, types, usage in finance and real estate, benefits, drawbacks, and comparison with nonrecourse debt.
Rediscount: Re-discounting Short-Term Negotiable Debt Instruments
Rediscount involves the re-discounting of short-term negotiable debt instruments, such as bankers' acceptances and commercial paper, that have already been discounted with a bank.
Reset Bonds: Adjustable Interest Rate Bonds
Reset Bonds are unique financial instruments where the interest rate is periodically adjusted to ensure the bonds trade at their original value. They are designed to mitigate interest rate risk and provide stability to investors.
Reverse Annuity Mortgage (RAM): Understanding a Financial Lifeline for Retirees
A Reverse Annuity Mortgage (RAM) allows elderly homeowners to monetize the equity in their fully-paid-for homes, providing them with a fixed monthly income or a lump sum while gradually relinquishing equity.
Seasoned Loan: A Financial Instrument with Payment History
A seasoned loan refers to a loan bond or mortgage on which several payments have been collected. It is generally easier to sell a seasoned mortgage compared to a new one that has not yet accumulated a payment history.
Securities: A Comprehensive Overview
Detailed explanation of Securities including types, historical context, examples, and key considerations.
Standby Fee: The Sum Required by a Lender for a Standby Commitment
A comprehensive explanation of the standby fee, which is a sum required by a lender to provide a standby commitment, and the conditions under which it may be forfeited.
Term: Definition and Explanation
Comprehensive definition and explanation of the term, including its applications in contracts, loans, and life insurance policies.
Trade Acceptance: A Guaranteed Time Draft Sold in the Secondary Money Market
A comprehensive guide on Trade Acceptance, a time draft guaranteed by a non-bank firm and sold in the secondary money market. Learn its definition, types, historical context, and comparisons with similar financial instruments.
Underlying Futures Contract: Understanding the Foundations of Futures Options
An in-depth exploration of the underlying futures contracts, which serve as the basis for options on futures. This includes definitions, examples, historical context, applications, and related terms.

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