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Our occasional look at the meanings and origins of words and expressions investors may encounter considers the word “bankrupt.” Let’s just say that the process of bankruptcy is a lot more lenient than it used to be. […]

Bears and Bulls aren’t just the names of Chicago-based sports teams. They’re symbols of investor expectations. Since the 1700s, bears have been associated with investors anticipating prices will go down, while bulls believe prices are trending upward. As part of an occasional exploration of the origins of financial lingo, Joel Dresang hunts down how these…

For What It’s Worth is an occasional look at the meanings and origins of words and expressions investors may encounter. In this instance, we consider the preferred title for Janet Yellen, who’s seated at the head of the Federal Reserve. […]

As part of an occasional series examining the origins of common financial expressions, we get a taste of the savory saying “salting away” as it refers to saving money for the long haul. […]

By Joel Dresang The notion of an annual summer sell-off is based on a sense that shareholders should get out of the market while stock traders leave Wall Street to summer in the Hamptons or on the Jersey Shore. As part of an occasional series exploring the origins of financial lingo, we look into the…

Now that Canada is pitching its penny, its neighbors to the south can rekindle debates over whether it’s worthwhile making cents. (For What It’s Worth is an occasional look at the meanings and origins of words and expressions investors may encounter.) […]

For What It’s Worth is an occasional look at the meanings and origins of words and expressions investors may run into. By Joel Dresang What’s commonly called the Beige Book is formally known as the “Summary of Commentary on Current Economic Conditions by Federal Reserve District.” And that’s a better description. The report, from the…

A windfall is a sudden – usually surprising – gain from circumstances largely beyond one’s control.

By Joel Dresang Sometimes when an individual undergoes an abrupt change, we say they’ve gone “cold turkey.” The expression long applied to drug addicts who tried to quit with little transition. More recently, the phrase has covered wider circumstances, such as moving from work to retirement with little preparation. […]