School Articles

Bond trading is one way of making a profit from fluctuations in the value of corporate or government bonds. Many view it as an essential part of a diversified trading portfolio, alongside stocks and cash.

When the market is on a sustained downward trajectory, with little optimism from traders to bring about a rally, it is referred to as a bear market.

A base rate is the interest rate that a central bank – such as the Bank of England or Federal Reserve – will charge commercial banks for loans. The base rate is also known as the bank rate or the base interest rate.

Bollinger bands are a popular form of technical price indicator. They are made up of an upper and lower band, set either side of a simple moving average (SMA). Each band is plotted two standard deviations away from the SMA of the market, and they are capable of highlighting areas of support and resistance.

While book value reflects what a business is worth according to its financials (its books), market value is the worth of a company according to financial markets – also known as its market capitalization. The calculation for market value is the current market price per share multiplied by the total number of outstanding shares.

Blue-chip stocks are the shares of companies that are reputable, financially stable and long-established within their sector. Over time, the companies that are considered blue-chip tend to change, so the exact definition of what is required for blue-chip status can be vague. However, a company that is considered blue-chip will tend to be at or near the very top of its sector, feature on a recognized index, and have a well-known brand.