Banking & Finance Vocabulary
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44 terms
HSBC, or the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, is a prominent global banking and financial services institution that was founded in 1865. Initially es
Haggling is a back-and-forth negotiation between a buyer and seller to agree on the price and terms of a transaction before a deal is finalised. It is a common
Half-life refers to the point in time when half of the original principal of a mortgage, mortgage-backed security (MBS), or bond is repaid. This term is signifi
The Halo Effect is a cognitive bias where an individual's overall impression of a person, company, brand, or product influences their feelings and thoughts abou
A hammer candlestick is a bullish reversal pattern that forms after a downtrend, signaling that sellers have lost control and buyers are regaining strength. It
Hammering refers to the aggressive and rapid selling of stocks by traders or speculators who believe that a stock is overvalued. This intensive selling pressure
A "handle" in financial markets refers to the whole number portion of a financial instrument's price quote, which is often implicitly understood by market parti
A hard inquiry is a formal request made by a lender, financial institution, or authorized third party to access your complete credit report and credit score whe
A hard stop is a predetermined price level at which an investor instructs their broker to sell a security. This order is designed to limit potential losses by t
Hardening, in financial markets, refers to a market condition where asset prices, particularly in commodities, stabilise or gradually increase after a period of
The harmonic mean is a type of average calculated by dividing the total number of observations by the sum of their reciprocals (the inverse of each value). Unli
The Harshad Mehta scam, also referred to as the 1992 stock market scam, was a monumental financial fraud in India, involving the embezzlement of approximately ₹
A heatmap is a two-dimensional graphical representation of data where values are depicted by colours. It uses a spectrum of colours to visually encode the magni
Held for Trading (HFT) refers to financial securities and investments that a bank or financial institution buys with the intention of selling them in the short
A hiccup refers to a temporary setback or disruption within a longer-term plan, goal, or trend, particularly in a business or financial context. This term is of
Hindsight bias is a cognitive phenomenon where individuals tend to perceive past events as more predictable than they actually were at the time of occurrence. O
A hire purchase agreement is a financing arrangement where a buyer acquires an asset by making an initial down payment and repaying the balance in fixed monthly
Historic structure refers to places or buildings of significant historical, artistic, or cultural value that are recognized under Indian income tax law. Contrib
Historical cost is a fundamental accounting principle that dictates assets must be recorded on a company's balance sheet at their original purchase price, inclu
Hoarding is the practice of accumulating and withholding large quantities of essential commodities or goods with the expectation that their prices will rise in
A hockey stick chart is a type of line graph that indicates a significant increase in data following a brief period of stability or low activity. The chart’s sh
A "Hold" recommendation in financial markets is an analyst's suggestion to neither buy nor sell a particular security, such as a stock. It implies that the secu
A holding company is a parent organization that owns a controlling stake in one or more subsidiary companies but does not directly operate their day-to-day busi
Holdings refer to the specific assets that an individual or entity possesses within their investment portfolio, which can include a variety of financial instrum
A home, in a legal and financial context, refers to an individual's primary place of residence, distinguishing it from other properties they might own. This pri
Home ownership is the legal right to occupy and control a residential property, backed by a registered deed or title in your name. It is achieved through purcha
Horizontal equity refers to a principle in taxation where taxpayers with similar financial capacity—such as income and assets—are expected to pay the same amoun
Horizontal integration is a corporate strategy where a company acquires or merges with another company operating at the same stage of the value chain within the
A horizontal line in technical analysis is a straight line drawn across a price chart at a consistent price level to identify areas where an asset's price has r
A horizontal merger occurs when two or more companies operating within the same industry combine to form a single entity. This consolidation typically aims to e
A hostile takeover occurs when one company (the acquirer) attempts to acquire another company (the target) against the explicit wishes of the target company's m
The hot hand is the belief that past success increases the probability of future success, even when outcomes are determined by pure chance or independent events
House Rent Allowance (HRA) is a component of a salaried employee's compensation that is specifically designed to provide financial assistance for renting accomm
A housing bubble, also known as a real estate bubble, is an economic phenomenon characterised by a rapid and unsustainable increase in housing prices, far excee
A housing unit is a single, self-contained residential space designed for occupation by one household, complete with facilities for sleeping, eating, cooking, a
Human capital is the economic value embodied in the knowledge, skills, experience, and attributes of workers that enable them to create wealth and solve problem
Human Development Index, commonly abbreviated as HDI, is a composite measure that evaluates the overall development of a country by considering social and econo
The Human-Life Approach (HLA) is a method used in financial planning and insurance to calculate the adequate amount of life insurance coverage an individual nee
A hurdle rate is the minimum acceptable rate of return that an investment or project must generate to be considered financially viable by an investor or company
A hybrid fund is a mutual fund that invests simultaneously in both equity and debt securities to balance growth potential with income stability. By blending sto
A hypermarket is a large-format retail store that combines the features of a supermarket and a department store under one roof, offering a vast array of groceri
A hypermarket is a large retail store that combines a supermarket with a department store, offering groceries, apparel, electronics, furniture, and general merc
Hydrocarbon is an organic compound made up solely of hydrogen and carbon atoms. They serve as the backbone for many natural resources such as crude oil, natural
Hypothesis testing is a statistical method used to determine whether there is enough evidence in a sample data set to support a specific assumption about a popu