confusopoly n.— Note: Often used (as in this article) and perhaps coined by Scott Adams, creator of the comic strip Dilbert. «The goal of the people at the top now is to create what I call confusopolies. The barriers to entry to almost...
back up the truck v. phr.— «The safety of these securities caused financial firms to load upon on them (“back up the truck,” in Wall Street parlance). They were considered so safe that financial firms used borrowed funds to buy more, and...
good bank/bad bank n.— «American International Group (AIG): NY Posts reports that AIG is considering forming a separate company to hold billions in securities that have dogged its balance sheet for the past several quarters. According to...
suckers’ rally n.— «They raise the hopes of investors. They occur out of nowhere. They can be money-making opportunities. But they tend to be fleeting. These are the stock rallies that occur when the economic outlook is bleak, news...
doughnut n.— «The “doughnut” watch: The most remarkable thing about the analyst meeting is always the way Wall Street types cluster around top executives in the hallways and at meals, straining to hear some valuable piece of...
whisper number n.— «Rumor-mongering, of course, has long been the stock in trade of some on Wall Street. Billions of dollars a day are bet on “whisper numbers” and overheard lunchtime chatter. Information is the coin of the realm. Some of...