Most commonly means stocks or bonds, but they can be any financial investment. Securities and Exchange Commission Federal regulator of securities. Short sale Selling a stock you borrow from a broker. You expect to profit by buying the stock at a lower price later. Stock A unit of corporate ownership.
Types are preferred and common, and any number of classes thereof.
Stock split A distribution of additional shares that makes no value change in a shareholders' ownership of a company. To account for that, the share price drops in half. Stock symbol Assigned letters by which companies are recognized for stock-trading purposes. Annual report to shareholders containing broad financial details. Underwriter An investment banker who agrees to purchase securities from an issuer and resell them to investors.