shorting a stock

taking an investment position that will benefit if the value of the stock goes down. Traditionally, "shorting a stock" means borrowing shares of stock from another broker, selling them, then buying them back (after the price has fallen) in order to return the stocks to the broker from whom they were borrowed.

You can short a stock using a derivative; this can include buying futures in the stock (i.e., a contract to sell someone else the stocks); or buying a put option (also called a put). A third way is to write a call (i.e., a call option, also known as a call) for the stock.
Shorting a stock usually requires a great deal of skill and courage; even the most talented short will only make money during rare crises.
by Abu Yahya April 05, 2010
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spot price

(FINANCE) market price of a traded stock, commodity, currency, or bond at a specific point in time. For example, right now it's 5 April 2010 08:10 (GMT), and the spot price of WTI crude is $85.56/bbl. Spot price is the price at a specified time on a specific market.
The value of a derivative is determined by the relationship of its strike price to its spot price.
by Abu Yahya April 05, 2010
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RMBS

(FINANCE) real estate mortgage backed securities; usually used to refer to the derivatives created by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that were used to create collateralized debt obligations CDO's.

Most economists seem to agree that the 2008 crisis was caused by the collapse of the real estate market, which was mainly caused by the toxic relationship between RMBS's and the CDO's created mostly with them.
For almost eighty years the RMBS business helped people buy homes, with few serious problems. Then Congress abolished Glass-Steagall, the banks merged and created CDO's, and total disaster followed.

And now our neighborhoods look awful as well.
by Abu Yahya April 05, 2010
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short selling

(FINANCE) borrowing securities for immediate sale, in anticipation of a sharp decline. Short selling requires strong nerves and excellent market timing; it also requires the ability to locate tranches of securities to borrow. If the short seller is correct, then she can buy back the securities at a much lower price, and lock in very high profits with very little initial investment.

Closely related to the concept of a short position. However, a short position includes buying put options (for example), while a long position could include short selling put options. So they are not exactly the same.

If a short sellers are wrong about the market, they are left hastily covering shorts, or buying the item they borrowed at a HIGHER price than they sold it for.
Jim Fisk was a master of the short squeeze; he appeared to cooperate with short selling until he was able to call in loans, forcing his counterparties to cover their shorts.
by Abu Yahya September 02, 2010
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capital gains

(FINANCE) the increase in wealth that goes to the owner of a financial asset when it increases in value. If you buy a share of stock, and the share increases in value, then you have capital gains whether you have sold it or not.

If you sell the stock at the higher price, you have made money on the transaction and have "realized capital gains." If you hang onto the asset in the hopes its value will increase even more, you have "unrealized capital gains."
For owners of stocks, wealth can come in the form of capital gains or dividends. For owners of gold, the only benefit comes from capital gains. This is why gold is usually not a good investment.
by Abu Yahya April 15, 2010
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NLRA

(US HISTORY) National Labor Relations Act (Wagner Act); 1935 law that permitted most US workers to form labor unions. It created the National Labor Relations Board to enforce this right. Named for Sen. Robert F. Wagner (D-NY).

The NLRB conducts secret-ballot elections to determine whether employees want union representation and also investigates unlawful labor practices by employers and unions. The act guarantees employees the right to organize, choose representatives, and bargain collectively. The NLRB regulates all employers involved in interstate commerce other than transport, agriculture, and government.
The NLRA was probably the most important single piece of New Deal legislation.
by Abu Yahya April 05, 2010
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green mind

Philippine slang for someone who thinks compulsively erotic thoughts; dirty minded; the tendency to give innocent phrases a sexual connotation.

Occasionally the use of the term "green minded" by Usonian English speakers (to mean "environmentally conscious") causes Pinoys great amusement.
WILLIAM: How long have you lived here?

ALFREDO: Ever since I came in the USA

WILLIAM: Dude, you had sex with the USA? Did she get pregnant?

ALFREDO: Aw, man, you have a green mind!
by Abu Yahya February 23, 2010
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