AAA

A - Class A stock shares; symbol denoting mutual funds with a front end fee

AAA - American Automobile Association

AAA -  Bond rating, highest investment grade

AB Trust - A vehicle for management and distribution of real and personal assets upon death of the owner.

abc - (Elliot) wave action; a common formation in the technical analysis of chart price. [TA]

Absolute Breadth Index [FA] -

Abrasion index - measures how abrasive a rock type is with respect to either wear and tear on grinding
equipment or wear by frictional forces such as wave action.

Absolute Breadth Index - Indicator that uses an advance vs. decline model to monitor market volatility.

Absolute Price Oscillator -  The technical indicator developed by subtracting a longer moving average from a shorter moving average, expressed as a ratio. [TA]

Abutment -  The longwall, and the weight of rock above the wall, transfer their  weight to strips of rock along the wall - serving as the abutment.

Acetate -  Modern coin holders, such as manufactured by Dansco, have acetate slides - a type of plastic that allows you to see the coins in the holder slot through the slide while protecting the coin from atmospheric and chemical damage.

Acidic - Water with a pH under 7.0 (the pH of water).  Only water based materials have a pH, therefore oil does not have a pH.

Acidic Rock - Those rocks, usually igneous, that either have a very high silica content, or produce acidic water runoff or bearing through strata.

Accelerated Cost Recovery System - A system where depreciation is increased over a set period of time.

Accelerated Depreciation - Recovery in the cost of an asset going down over time by taking deduction against income (larger in earliest years) [Acct.]

Accounting Rate of Return - The calculation to determine the amount of income a project will produce over its full span. [acct.]

Accounts Payable - Current liabilities to suppliers. [Acct.]

Accounts Receivable - Current assets measured as those purchases still owed by a customer. [Acct.]

Accredited Investor - Investors who have both the financial wherewithal and reserves to trade without various SEC protections/restrictions.

Accrued taxes - Current tax liability; what is owed to local, state, and federal governments.

Accrued wages - Current wage liability, what is owed to workers via contract.

Accumulated profits - Retained income and earnings plus undistributed profits.

Accumulation/distribution - The ratio of buyers vs. seller for an instrument. The [TA] 

Accumulation/Distribution Index -Calculated as a cumulative total of each day's reading. Constructed as closing minus opening price/days range multiplied by the daily volume.  [FA]

Acid drainage - when rainwater reacts with existing sulfides in waste rock such that runoff exhibits acidi c characteristics (pH below 7, typically below 5).

Active shaft - The working shaft, or any other mine location where workers travel, congregate or work.  These active mine areas have higher safety criteria than other non-active areas.

Activity Based Budget - One based upon activity type rather than previously allocated funds.

Adhesion Contract - A legal agreement between two parties with unequal bargaining positions; presented by one party without room for negotiation and signed by the other party without recourse.

Administrative Council for Economic Defense - An independent Brazilian agency responsible for implementing various trade conventions and protections. [Brazilian]

Adjustable Peg - In the current BIS exchange rate system, any given country's currency exchange rate is pegged to all others in the basket.  That is, they rise and fall in relation to each other via market trading, though an 'official; (read: 'make-believe') rate is established by the governments.

Adjusted Cost Base - New tax basis due to change in income or other factors.

Adjusted Gross Income - The gross income minus all exemptions and write-offs leaving the remaining taxable income.  [US tax]

Adjustable-Rate Mortgage - Rate of interest on the principal change according to changes in the prime rate.  [RE]

Adjusted Funds From Operations - Cash available for distribution to pay dividends

Adjusted Present Value - The value of any concern expressed as equity plus  tax efficiencies of short term debt.

Adit  - A horizontal boring that either allows access to a mine ore body or access into another boring, or shaft, that access the mine ore body, or dewatering, or delivery of personnel or materials, etc.  If an adit runs completely through the hill (you can see daylight on either side), it is then a tunnel.

After Tax Operating Income - The net realized profit after taxes are paid.

Advance/Decline (Ratio)-  The ratio of stocks rising in price vs. those falling in price over a given time period, typically in one trading session.  Used as an indicator of market internal health. [TA]

Advance Refunding - Issuance of new refund bonds prior to the call date of the original bond debt.

after hours

Ad Valorem Tax  - Based upon property value

After Rebate - Net cost after various rebates are refunded [Retail]

After Repaired Value - Net value of an instrument, such as a house, after previously identified deficiencies are corrected.

Ag - silver [elemental]

Agency Backed Security - A derivative type of security entity where a pool of assets is backed by an organizations ability (typically government) to raise further funds from future taxes or bonds and thereby keep the ponzi scheme going.

Agency Trade - They nailed it:

http://www.investopedia.com/printable.asp?a=/articles/03/012403.asp

Aggregate Risk - The total market exposure of all risks inherent to your position.

A.k.a. - 'also known as'; a synonym

Al - aluminum

All Inclusive Deed of Trust – A deal, shady and potentially illegal, where a Deed of Title is filed without notifying the lender.

All-or-None - A market order executed only if able to be filled in total.

Alloy - A mixture of more than one metal.  The naming convention typically uses the name of the most predominant or valuable metal in the mixture, for example, such as 'cupro-nickel' or 'nickel alloy'.

Alpha - Risk-adjusted performance coefficient.  The difference between an asset's expected return and actual return, where the expected return is a function of the asset's Beta. Positive alpha is called either 'abnormal' or 'extraordinary'.

alpha-numeric - The system of numbers and letters

Alternative Minimum Tax - The methodology to ensure people must pay some taxes even when using numerous exemptions and write-offs.  There are some AMT calculators (Actually, an IRS form) used to determine if you will be penalized via the AMT. Generally, dividends, Capital gains, real estate, high state income and property taxes hurt the calculation (force you into AMT).  Other expenses claimed on schedule A hurt. Not having kids helps.

Specifically, of course, only the CPAs and the IRS can understand how the form works.  If the CPAs cannot figure this out on a sheet of paper, neither can you. Ever wonder why?  Because neither the IRS nor the CPA want you to be able to do this on your own.  Best to keep you a captive audience of the IRS Corporation and CPA bloc.  Many centuries ago Hammurabi figured out that laws which could not be understood by those governed by the laws were not valid.

American Association of Individual Investors -  A for-profit investors support service and network. [FA]

American Banking Association -  A lobbying, action committee and support network for financial institutions.

American Depository Receipt - A statement that represents bundled shares of a foreign stock purchased, not the actual stock itself.  When stock shares of a foreign-traded company are purchases, a bank or brokerage actually sells certificates denominated in US Dollars representing the price of the stock transaction.

American Depository Share - One unit of an ADR.  [Trading]

American Institute of Architects - Trade Organization.

American Institute of Certified Public Accountant’s - Trade Organization. [Acct.]

am - Adjustment marks; light surface filing performed at the mint to reduce an overweight planchet.

Amalgated Corporation - Under the Ontario Business Corporations Act (Can.), corporations created by the combination of two or more other corporations under a Plan of Arrangement.

Amalgation -  Blending metals. Amalgamation is absolutely fascinating! Think of it this way, you are trying to marry two metals, and can use any way to get them to stick together except temperature. So, does pressure count?!?!  Amalgamation is both chemical (alloidial) and physical (partition,  adherence, adsorption, absorption). Ah yes, mercury and gold – battle of the two grandest metals.

AMF - l’Agence nationale d’encampment du secteur financier

American Options -  Options that can be exercised any time on or prior to expiration date.

American Exchange - A US bourse (AMEX);

American Express - [US Co.]

American Eagle - Bullion gold or silver coin produced by US Mint.

American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) - The standard code used to transfer data between systems.

American Uniform Commercial Code - Sets or parts of laws adopted by every US state to promote uniformity amongst commercial and business transactions.

Amortization - The reduction of debt via systematic payments that fully pay accrued interest and partial principal. 

Anchor - A large retail tenant that serves as the primary draw in a strip mall.

Annealing – This process is used in metal working to heat and temper metal into a less brittle form for working and molding. 

Annual Debt Service - The yearly total outlay required to payment interest and principal on long-term debt.

Annual Equivalent Rate - Percentage paid over a term shorter than a year, but approximating the annual compound rate.

Annual Percentage Rate- The one-year rate that is charged on borrowed or margined money.  Expressed as the monthly rate x 12.  [Fin]

Annual Percentage Yield  - The APR including compound interest. [Fin]

Anticipation Note - A short term financing vehicle offered by an entity in advance of an imminent and much larger issue.  The issuing corporation or municipality anticipates that the revenue from the larger bond will cover expense of issuing the shorter term note.

Application Program Interface - The platform that computer systems or similar applications provide to allow requests for service by other computer programs; also the platform to exchange data between them.

Arbitrage - When one simultaneously buys and sells a commodity or other financial securities at different bourses or in different forms to take advantage of existing or anticipated price differentials.

Arbitrage Pricing Theory - The return on investment predicted as an equation.  The equation calculates expected returns of a portfolio with certain qualities (i.e, increased risk, increased leverage) vs. the expected performance of the same portfolio with typical qualities. 

Area Method - The process for determining a trend line by equally weighting the amount of time a price stays both and above the line. (Trading)

Around - Slang used in quoting the premium built into spot value. Where a broker quotes a 'Four, four around' for a position, that means you must pay four point (price units) over/under spot ask/bid. [futures]

Arrangement -  Plan of Arrangement made pursuant to section 182 of the OBCA.

Arms Index Ratio - see TRIN

Ask Price - The retail selling price offered by the dealer to a member of the public (aka "sell" or "offer" price).

Assay - Physical and chemical analytical tests that determine the consistency, fineness and weight of precious or other metal in ore, soils, bullion or coin.

Assay Laboratory - A laboratory in which the proportions of metal in ores or concentrates are determined using analytical techniques

Asset - A security or other tangible good with a positive net value.

Asset Allocation Fund -  A diversification fund that includes portions of the portfolio in different class investments such as metals, stocks, and bonds.

Asset Backed Security - A financial instrument that is backed by some type of loan, lease or other receivable against an asset other than real estate.  Asset-backed securities are used as an alternative to other types of corporate debt. [Finance]

Asset Class - The category of an asset.  For example, stock Asset classes include growth, high growth, and fixed income.

Asset Constraint - The decision rule governing the weighting of an asset as a percentage of a portfolio.

Asset Sale - C corporation liquidation that must be scaled over 10 years.  A swap for stock can be arranged around the asset sale clause but will remove the liability to expense later.

Asset Type - Cash, Shares, Derivatives and Hard Assets

Assumable Mortgage - A type of mortgage where a buyer can take over payments on the loan held buy the seller, subject to lender approval.

Assumed Interest Rate - A modeled growth rate which an insurance company will use to determine the monthly payment paid to an annuitant.

Associated Person - commodity broker

Association Cambiste Internationale - Regional and National Foreign exchange trading clubs join this international organization for increased exchange of information.

At-the-money - An option where the strike price is equal to the backing futures price.

Auger - An air rotary drill set up at ground surface that uses a drill bit or screw bit that drives into the ground, breaks up the ore, and then elevates the ore up to service via sleeve.

Auriferous - Containing gold.

Australian Dollar - The currency of the Nation of Australia.  [currency symbol]

Authorized Stock - Number of shares that a company is allowed to sell per its charter. This amount may or may not be the same as total outstanding stock.

Autogenous grinder - A machine that breaks down ore in a rotating cylinder using rock aggregate to break down large ore pieces into smaller ones instead of steel balls that are used in a crusher.

Automated Bond System - The NYSE electronic bond trading network.

Automatic Clearing House - A batch-oriented electronic funds transfer system network governed by the NACHA for interbank e-commerce clearing: http://www.nacha.org/)[Trading]

Automated Confirmation Transaction Service -   An automated trade clearinghouse for the NASDAQ.  [OTC securities]

Automated Customer Account Transfer - An electronic system for trading securities between brokerages and banks.

Average Annual Return- The average profit returned by a mutual fund year over year.

Average Daily Volume - The average number of shares transacted each trading day.

Average Directional Index - (ADX) The technical analysis tool used to determine the strength of a prevailing trend, measured in numeric terms between 1-100 where over 40 is considered strong.  [TA]

Average Return - The yield paid on a particular investment over a fixed period of time.

Averages - An index such as the S&P500 that is considered a barometer of a particular corporation type (small cap, mid cap, growth, etc.) [Finance]

BBB  

B&M - Brick & Mortar (A physical retail store, not just a site on the internet)

B2B - Business-to-Business commerce

B2C - Business-to-Consumer commerce

Back and Fill - Price action of a security where the price will touch a support or resistance trend line multiple times before making a solid break through the trend line.

Back-fill - Material used to replace soil and earth removed during mining operations

Back months - Futures months trading furthest from expiration date (AKA deferred or distant).

Backwardation  - The price anomaly where cash settlement (or spot) price of commodity is more expensive than the price of the same commodity in the future. 

Bacterial leaching /oxidation - The use of bacteria to oxidize sulphide minerals in preparation for further processing.

Baffle - A partition wall in a channel or container meant to mix and churn media flow thorough the channel. 

Bag – A burlap container full of coins sealed by the US Mint or a bank.

Bag mark – A scratch, ding, or other mark detracting from the appeal and value of the coin made during loading or transport of the bag.  The coins clashed against each other causing these marks.

Balance of Payments - Trade status and accounting between nations.

Balance of Trade - Difference between exports and imports between nations.

Balance Sheet- A financial statement certified per governing regulations an independent audit that lists a companies assets, liabilities and capital as a snapshot in time, typically done quarterly.

Balanced Payment Plan - A program to smooth out volatility amongst monthly payments, for a power bill as an example, by averaging out the payment of each period for the previous year and charging that rate per month.

Bands - 1) A diagnostic feature of a coin such as the horizontal bands across the fasces on the winged liberty ('Mercury') dime. Or, alternating geologic strata. Or, the trading range (Bollinger bands) of an equity [technical analysis]. 2) In geology, alternating strata of different type rock.

Banjo - 1) A carrying case that Chinese miners would use to transport equipment or valuables, shaped like a banjo case (the 5-string musical instrument with a large round drum bound tight and small fretted neck).  2) A nickname for a trough where gold is separated from sediment.

Bank Draft - A written instrument of payment issues by an asset holder.

Bankable Feasibility Study  - Study that determines the proven and probably reserves of a mining company.

Bank Holiday - In England, a series of secular holidays where public labor, services and trade are limited.

Bank Investment Contract - An agreement where a bank will pay an agreed rate of interest over a fixed period of time on a security or collateral.

Bank of Japan -  Japanese Central Bank

Bank of England - England's Central Bank who sets fiscal policy. Known as "Old Lady of Threadneedle Street".

Bank for International Settlements - Settles Standard Drawing Rights [fin.]

Barrel Per Day - Unit measure of oil production (42 US gallons).

Barren - Rock with not enough mineral value to warrant economically viable mining via the 'prudent man rule'. 

Base - Chemical term describing a substance with a pH above 7.0

Base Metal - An alloy, or mixture, of non-precious metals used for financial or industrial applications. Might be used under gold or silver-plated coverings.

Basis - The spread between the cash price and futures price of a commodity or other fungible asset.

Basis Point - A unit measure of interest rate charged member banks by the central bank.  One hundredth of one percentage point (0.01%) is one basis point.

Battice - A safety curtain used in mining operations to isolate miners from poison air.

Bear, Bear market- One who believes prices will go down, or a market where prices are declining.

Bearing - In surveying, the designation for direction of a secondary line that forms an acute horizontal angle between the meridian and the line.

Bear Spread - A vertical spread that includes the sale of a lower strike call and purchase of the higher strike call (or, the sale of the lower strike put and purchase of the higher strike put).

Bearish key reversal - A technical chart formation which  occurs in a bullish market when the day's high is higher, the low is lower, and close is below the previous day's close.

Belt conveyor -  A long belt made of rubber and bands attached to a system of pulleys that carries ore from the pit to the mill.

Beneficiary IRA - A beneficiary IRA contains money meant by an individual to be passed on to a beneficiary, such as offspring. 

Beneficiation - The concentration and treatment of mined and processed ore to increase the percentage of metal.  

Bequest - A gift of personal property; everything except real estate and machinery. [pers. fin]

Beta - Volatility coefficient.  The measurement of an asset's return relative to another portfolio (such as the DJIA).  Where the DJIA return on investment is represented by 1.0, an asset with a Beta above 1.0 carries more risk than the DJIA.

BGEIX - American Century Global Gold Investor (mutual fund)

BGO - Bema Gold [Ticker] [Became a part of Kinross Gold in January 2007]

BKX - PHLX / KBW Bank Index. (Often an indicator of general market direction.)

Bid Price - The price a dealer is willing to pay (aka "buy" price) from either the public (retail) or another dealer (wholesale).

Big Board - Nickname for the New York Stock Exchange

Billon – A coin with more copper than silver; potentially comprised of other metals.

Bio-leaching - The metal recovery process using bacteria or enzymes to biologically separate out metals from low grade ore, especially waste rock previously mined and discarded. 

Bit - The hardened and strengthened device at the end of a drill rod that transmits the energy of breakage to the rock. The size of the bit determines the size of the hole. A bit may be either detachable from or integral with its supporting drill rod. Frequently made of an ultra-hard material such as industrial diamonds or tungsten carbide.

Black Friday

Original Black Friday - September 24, 1869

Colloquial/modern: (Friday after Thanksgiving. Sales on BF show if stores will profit on the year (run in the black))

Black Monday - October 19, 1987; the Dow Jones lost 500 points. 

Blank - See planchet.

Blind Pool - A group of investors pool resources; money chasing a deal.

Block Trade - A privately negotiated futures contract executed outside public auction. (Governed by Rule 526).

Board of Directors - Selected by stockholders, a group of individuals who establish corporate policy and hire, fire and oversee top management positions.

Bollinger Bands - On a price chart the range drawn as one line below the price action and one line drawn below that form a trading band that represents standard deviation levels off the moving average.  Created by John Bollinger, this indicator measures volatility and can pre-sage large movements in an issue. [Technical Analysis]

Bond - A debt instrument that pays a guaranteed (unless 'called') rate of interest until a particular point in time.  Bonds are negotiable, which means they can be sold or traded.  They are a coupon-bearing debt obligation, which means interest is paid on a regular basis (semi-annually in the US).  Bonds have a maturity of at least 7 years, those with shorter maturities are known as notes.

Treasury Bonds (those with maturities 10 years or less at called Treasury or simply 'T Notes') are issued by the U.S. government and backed by the governments 'full faith and credit'; this means the ability of the government to tax, wage war and enforce its currency.  The interest paid on Treasury Bonds are exempt from state and local taxes.  Denominations can range from $1000 to $1 million.  Denomination is also called 'face' or 'discount'.  In the past the US Treasury has stopped paying interest on certain bonds after a given period of time; when this happens the bond is said to be 'called' or is a 'callable bond'.  Current US bonds are not callable, but some older U.S. Treasury Bonds (available on secondary markets) are callable but only within five years of the maturity date.

Bond Act of 1911 (and 1915) - Established special district financing via special assessment taxes. Bonds were secured by district parcels (1911) and remaining assets (1915). 

Bond Equivalent Yield - The calculation for changing known monthly, quarterly or semi-annual yields into an annual yield.

Bond Ratio - That portion of an organization's financing provided by issuing bonds.  The ratio found when dividing the sum of the face value of bonds divided by total value of common and preferred stock, reserves, capital surplus, retained earnings, and bond value.

Book,  “Book” value - The combination of common and retained earnings added to surplus reserves. 2) The realized price of all fixed and real assets (chairs, computers, land, inventory) following a liquidation sale. (business valuation).

bot - web-bot [computer program/algorithm]

Bourse - A trading platform or market for buying and selling goods; typically refers to financial equities such as stocks or bonds trading, for example, on the New York Stock Exchange.

Bn - Brown, used for grading copper coins.

Brazilian Antitrust System  -[Brazilian Law 8884; composed of SEAE, SDE, CADE]

Breakout - The movement of price outside of the previous boundaries or trend. Coins: refers to the removal of a coin from a certified slab and resubmittal to the same or other third party grading service with the intent to receive a higher grade.

Breakaway Gap - A gap up or down in prices from the previous close that signals the end of the current market direction when confirmed; such as by an island top or bottom.

Brick - A large accumulation of currency bills or milled ore for wholesale transfer or sale.  Bricks are typically not pure, i.e dore' may require further smelting or processing before retail purposes and brick currency would be a mix of currency bills in various conditions and issues. 

Brick & Mortar - A store with a physical presence rather than one simply hosted on the internet.

Brokerage - A fee or commission charged by a broker; either a fixed fee or percentage of transaction.

BTW - By the way [slang, WWW]

BUGS - Basket of Un-hedged Gold Stocks

Bull - One who believes the price is going up.

Bullion - Precious metals in a known, negotiable and tradable form, such as a bars, rounds or wafers of a known fineness and weight.

Bullion Coin - A legal tender or numismatic coin with a market price dependent upon precious metal content as opposed to a face value. Examples include Australian Koalas, Canadian Maple Leafs, U.S. Gold and Silver Eagles, South African Kreugerrands, Viennese Philharmonics, etc.

Bullish Percent Index - The ratio determined as the percentage of stocks on an exchange or in a sector showing buy signal on the point and figure chart system. [FA; market indicator]

Bump - Bumping a thread (to get it to the top of a forum); AKA 'TTT' (to the top).

Bump and Run Reversal - where a price moves to the previous point of resistance (or support) and immediately reverses direction forming a sharp 'vee' pattern. [TA]

Bundle - A simultaneous sale of each in a series of consecutive futures contracts.

Bureau of Economic Analysis - The US Govt. agency that develops economic gauges including GDP. [US]

Bureau of Land Management - The US Govt. entity that regulates mining permits.

Bureau of Labor Statistics - The US federal bureau, within the Department of Labor, charged with developing bogus data sets used by central planners. [US]

Bureau of Justice - The US Department in the Executive Branch charged with functioning as an intimidation agent by selective enforcement of regulations and code to various support policy.  [US]

Bureau of Public Debt -  The Bureau within the US Department of Treasury that facilitates and reports the level of bondage you and your children have accrued. [US]

Burn Rate- The amount of capital money that a firm spends while developing a project. Since there is no income coming into the project, only outlays going out, the project is 'burning' cash.

Business Corporations Act - The Canadian law that provides for the organization and regulation of corporations.

Business Strike – Coin designed for circulation as currency.

Business Cycle - The natural phases of economic development including growth, prosperity, recession, depression, and recovery.

Bust - A coin with a portrait of an individual shown from the shoulders up.

Butterfly Spread - An option spread using three strike prices to maximize both a bull and bear spread.

Buy Zone - A favorable point to accumulate an issue based upon price or some other factor.

Byproduct - Any secondary mineral produced through the mining process.  For instance, a mine that focuses on producing gold may also smelt and refine silver as a byproduct.

CCC

C - Citbank [NA ticker]

Cabal - Kabbalah [Jewish Mystics/numerologists; slang – TPTB]

Cabinet Price - The nominal price for liquidating an option contract that is deep-out-of-the-money.

Cable bolt -  An eyebolt screwed or cemented into the ground or surface rock with a steel cable through it that supports the lowering of equipment or supplies down a shaft or embankment.

CAC40 -  French Bourse

Cachet - A printed picture on paper, such as on an envelope.

CAD -  Canadian Dollar [currency symbol]

Calendar Spread - A futures calendar spread is the simultaneous purchase and sale of the same futures contract with different contract months .

Call - The option, but not the obligation, to buy an asset a specified price at any time in the future before the expiration date of the option contract. Or, when holding the underlying the stock the call is written again, the promise to sell the stock at the previously-agreed upon price. 

Callable  - Any security (typically a bond) that can be redeemed prior to maturity date by the issuer.   Ability to be called is established at the time the bond is issued. There may or may not be an associated premium.

California Code of Regulations - Codified California law as promulgated by the state executive branch.

Call Value - At expiration the value of the futures price minus the strike price of the call.

Canadian Business Corporations Act - The Act and associated regulations that govern the organization and regulation of corporations in Canada. [Can]

Canadian Competition Act - Under this act, merger and acquisition of voting shares of a going concern require approval by the Commissioner.

Canadian Depository for Securities Limited - A clearing agency for international transfer of stock. [.to ADR clearinghouse]

Canada Education Savings Grant - A partial matching grant that contributes to a Canadian education savings account.

Canada Revenue Agency - Government agency that collects taxes and sets trade regulations.

Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants - organization that maintains handbook for Canadian Generally Accepted Accounting Practices.    http://www.cica.ca/index.cfm/ci_id/17150/la_id/1.htm

Canadian Institute of Mining - A technical society dedicated to the advancement of the resource extraction industry in Canada and elsewhere.  They set and promulgate regulations and guidelines that define terms and conditions defined under the instrument NI 43-101 such as 'Indicated Mineral Resource' and 'Inferred Mineral Resource'.

Canadian Investor Protection Fund - An insurance that partially compensates investors after an investment funds becomes insolvent.

Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation - Provides mortgage loans and mortgage insurance for prospective homebuyers.

Canadian Pension Plan - Similar to the US Social Security, provides partial disability insurance or retirement benefits after a wage earner has contributed to the plan.

Canadian Revenue Act (or Agency) - Similar to the IRS, and probably owned by the same group of people.

Canadian Tax Act - Now in its 81st edition, a more refined method to separate working Canadians from their money.

Cancel Former Order - Cancellation (or change) in either quantity or price of an order previously entered. [Options]

Capital - Money used to start up a concern such as a business.

Capitalism - Free market enterprise. The government's interventions should be absolutely limited as "laizze faire" whereas the only governing mechanism should be the invisible hand.  Currently defunct on any large scale application.

Capitalization - The total market value of a firm calculated by multiplying the number of outstanding shares by the stock price.

Capital Asset Pricing Model - The eternally adjusting exercise to determine, given an asset's fixed and non-diversifiable risk, the theoretically rate of return necessary to produce cash flow. [Fin.]

CAPEX, Capital Expense - A gross expenditure [fin.]

Capital Cost Allowance - Canadian Income Tax cost depreciation table.

Capital Dividend Account - The location where private corporations can park untaxable net gains.

Capital Gains (Loss) - A tax assesses upon sale of an asset where a profit was realized; Short (less than one year) and long term capital gains have different marginal tax rates.

Capital Market Line - Under the CAPM model, the total expected market return calculated as the risk free rate of return and the underlying level of risk (beta) assigned to the portfolio.

Capital Structure (Capitalization) - The total of all bonds, common and preferred stock, capital stock, and retained earnings.

Captive stope -  Any stope that can be entered only via a manway.

Car - 1) A metal bucket on wheels then placed on a railway that carries ore from them mine to the mill.  2) A contract quantity [Options slang].

Carat - This is a measurement of weight used in gemology.  It equals roughly 3.086 grains Troy or 0.2 grams.  NOTE: This Carat (starts with the letter 'c') and is not the same as Karat (starts with the letter 'k') which is a measurement gold fineness.

Carbon-in-column -  1) Activated carbon contained stacked in a plastic container provides a very useful treatment and filtering device for most types of organic and inorganic pollutants.  The column also provides a media and mechanism for the capture and measurement of these components and elements from a waste or purge- water source, capturing everything in the water stream so that the materials in the water that have absorbed onto the carbon can be quantified. [Env. Eng.; mining wastewater]. 2) In mining, the stage where carbon is added to the ore before slurry production.

Carbon-in-leach (CIL) process - A modification of the CIP process whereby carbon is added directly into the slurry during leaching as opposed to CIP where carbon is added after leaching is complete. [Mining]

Carbon-in-pulp (CIP) process - A process used to recover dissolved gold from a cyanide leach slurry. Coarse activated carbon particles are moved counter-current to the slurry, absorbing the gold as it passes through the circuit. Loaded carbon is removed from the slurry by screening. The gold is recovered from the loaded carbon by stripping in a caustic cyanide solution followed by electrolysis or by zinc precipitation. [Mining]

Carbon Rod -  In drilling, a steel rod that has been hardened with the addition of carbon.

Carborundum - A silica based abrasive used as an industrial cleaner.       

Carry Trade - The practice of profiting from interest rate or currency differentials.  As an example, one can borrow money money at a low short-term rate and lending it out higher long-term rates.  One can borrow currency in one country, such as Japan, with very low interest rates and transmit into US securities with larger rates. This is known as the Yen Carry Trade.

Cartwheel - The term describing the play of light across a silver coin which displays the effect of light caught within field striations as one rotates the coin.  Enhances eye appeal.

Cash - Fungible units of trade.

Cash-cost - A measure of the average cost of producing a product. For example, the costs associated with producing an ounce of gold is calculated by dividing the total working costs (excluding corporate administration) in a period by the total gold production over the same period. Working costs represent total operating costs less royalties and depreciation. In determining the cash-cost of different elements of the operations, production overheads are allocated on a pro-rata basis.

Cash Dividend - A dividend paid in cash reflecting the earnings of a corporation divided by those holding stock.

Cash Equivalent - Short term assets, such as Certificates of Deposit, calculated in the M3.

Cash flow - Net income including all non-cash deductions from depreciation schedules.  The actual amount of money generated over a given period of time.

Cash Flow Return on Investment - A model use to determine stock value that calculates fully valued price based upon the net cash flow rather than on other indicators such as price per earnings.

Cash on Delivery - The form of payment where the account is settled upon delivery of merchandise [Acct.]

Cashflow Statement - The financial report showing the cash flow of the concern over the previous quarter.

Cash-on-cash return -  Annual net cashflow divided by the cash cost outlay.  As an example, if you have 15K invested in a house worth $100 and the house rental rate (after all taxes and expenses) is $200 a month, then the income is ($200/month x 12 months) = $2,400/year.  Hence $2400/year divided by 15,000 is 15% cash on cash return per annum.

Cash Management Bill - The shortest term debt instrument offered by the US Treasury.

Cash receipts - The sum of all aggregate purchases paid by cash, or converted to cash, entered in ledgers and reported on balance statements. [Acct.]

Cash Return on Gross Investment - The FA model use to determine retune on investment that calculates the post-tax cashflow divided by initial gross (pre tax break) investment.

Cash Settlement - For those markets without deliver of contract commodity, the disposition of open positions on the last trading day of each contract month.

Cash Balance Plan - A hybrid defined-benefit plan that does not pay an annuity but does allow employees to accrue benefits that can transfer after vesting.

Cash Transaction Report - US IRS rule that requires all cash deals over $10,000 and meeting other requirements be reported to the government.

Cast - Where overburden is directionally deposited away from the active mining face directly (where possible) onto the waste pile. 

Cathode Ray Tube - The computer monitor.

Cation - Chemistry, the negative anode.

CEDE - 1) Latin American agricultural and environmental organization. 2) Verb- to voluntarily quit claim land or other claims

Cement copper - Copper that has been salvaged from its solution in groundwater or mine drainage water by precipitating on scrap iron, a process commonly used in the U.S.

Central bank(ers) - The main bank that establishes fiscal policy, including the rate that banks charge interest to other banks.

Central Fund of Canada - Canadian mutual fund holding gold and silver.

Central Limit Theorem - A basic tenet of probability theory that provides a random distribution of identical an independent variables will normal distribution.

Certificate of Deposit - Short term investment with a bank, FDIS insured, paying a low interest rate in return for liquidity and apparent safety. Part of M3.

Certified - A coin or other collectible that has been authenticated and verified by a third party assessor.

Certified Annuity Specialist - A certificate tendered to an individual by the Institute of Business and Finance indicating knowledge of investment opportunities and risks associated with fixed and variable annuities.

Certified Divorce Financial Analyst – An expert in Financial Forensics, the art of ‘following the money’.

Certified Financial Planner - Requires two years experience to qualify for this certificate and requires approximately two years to pass the two-day course when working full time and studying the course material.

Certified Fund Specialist - A certificate tendered to an individual by the Institute of Business and Finance indicating knowledge of investment opportunities and risks associated with mutual funds.

Certified Investment Management Consultant - A financial planer certified by the Institute for Investment Management who specializes in individual financial investing.

Certified Investment Management Specialist - A financial planer certified by the Institute for Investment Management who specializes in individual financial investing.

Certified Public Accountant - A financial discipline tested and certified by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountant’s

Certified Retirement Services Professional - The institute of Certified Bankers promulgates this certification where prospective practitioners must demonstrate practical and theoretical knowledge of retirement plans and planning, and the regulations governing such.

Certified Senior Consultant - A financial planner certified by the IBF who specializes in matters affecting seniors such as Social Security, Lon Term Care Insurance, Medicare, retirement, etc.

Certified Trust and Financial Advisor - A planner certified by the Institute of Certified Bankers who specializes in individual financial investing, tax issues and trusts.

Certificate of Deposit - A short term interest bearing note with issued by a bank with higher security (backed by bank reserves and insurance) but providing a very low rate of return.

Certificate of Government Receipts - A bundled government security sold by a private company that removes both interest payment an risk of capital repayment by trading on face value. Known as a synthetic security.

Certificate of Participation - A type of debt financing issued by a municipality and purchased by an investor where each share is part ownership of the revenues produced by the debt stream, rather than a share of the bond backing the revenue stream or ownership of the asset produced via the debt issuance or revenue stream.  The municipality typically constructs an asset which is then leased out to another entity.  Hence, doesn't count against the debt load - and therefore credit rating - of the municipality and allows it to repeat the process.

Chaikin Money Flow - Calculated as the Closing Location Value multiplied by volume, this metric called the accumulation/distribution value is measured against the running average of closing positions in an equity compared to the high or low values of the day. Closes in the lower portion represent bearish action.  [TA]

Chartered Accountant - Financial professional working in the accounting field, the Canadian equivalent to the American CPA.

Chartered Financial Analyst - A certification for financial planners by the Chartered Financial Analyst Institute

Chartered Financial Council - The trade association of chartered financial analysts.

Chartered Investment counselor -  A certification for financial planners by the Investment Counsel Association for Chartered Financial Analysts.  [pers. Fin.]

Chartered Market Technician - A certification for traders given by the Market Technicians Association.

Cheapest To Deliver - The fundamental driver that any settlement in physical on a futures contract will be made with the cheapest and lowest grade commodity available.

CHESS Depository Interest - A name-on registry system representing derivatives that both represent and express an apportionment of corporate shares.

Chicago Board Options Exchange - Commodity futures and options exchange.

Chicago Mercantile Exchange - A publicly traded futures exchange and clearinghouse. [bourse]

Chicago Board of Trade - A commodity bourse focused on futures and options exchange.

Chief Executive Officer - The senior corporate officer; in charge of all other officer. Typically serves on the board of directors. [Fin.]

Chief Financial Officer - The senior manager of a firm with primary control of company financial policy and fiduciary duties. [Fin.]

Chief Information Officer - The head individual responsible for managing the information technology, personnel and planning needs of a firm. [Fin.]

Chief Operating Officer - The senior manager of a firm with primary control over day to day operations and personnel decisions. [Fin.]

Chief Security Officer - The senior manager of a firm with primary control over security for all company personnel, facilities, assets and information.

Choosing by Advantage - A method of contractor selection that incorporates factors other than price. [US Govt. Contracting]

Churning - The practice by money managers to overtrade your money in order to gain commissions for themselves.

CINS - CUSIP International Numbering System

Clearing - The procedure where the clearing house takes the counterparty position to each trade. I.e. becomes buyer for each seller of a contract.

Clearing House Electronic Subregister System - The .asx. (Australian) ADR clearinghouse]

Clerk and Master's Deed - Form of property conveyance typically generated by the county/local government. [RE]

Closed-End Mutual Fund - A mutual fund with a limited number of shares offered at startup, with no new shares to follow.  This limits the amount of folks that can partake in the fund, which in turn, leads to a certain amount of fund stability.

Closing Location Value -  For any given and systematically measured period, the value of the closing price relative to the range for that same period. [TA]

Closing price - The final price of a contract at the end of the trading session

Circulated - A coin or paper money that has been handled as part of daily commerce and hence is not longer in mint state.

CNBC - The focused concentration of shills and disinformation artists backed used to manage public perception of markets and politics.

Coefficient of Variation - In statistics, you can determine the location of data sets plotted against the data mean by dividing the standard deviation by the expected mean.  This ratio provides a relative measure of accuracy.