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Liquidity is the ability of an asset or security to be readily converted into cash. In active trading and finance, high degrees of liquidity are desirable. Liquid markets promote efficient trade, while corporate and personal solvency boost creditworthiness and value.

In finance, the term market capitalisation is used to reference the aggregate value of a specific security, sector, exchange, or trading venue. Frequently shortened to "market cap," it may be calculated in a variety of ways and is especially useful when comparing the relative size of tradable securities or marketplaces. Stocks One of the most common applications of market capitalisation is to corporate stock offerings. According to the U.S. Securities…

What Is A Credit Default Swap? A credit default swap (CDS) is a financial derivatives contract that acts as an insurance policy that an investor takes out in order to protect against a bond issuer defaulting on its obligations to pay interest and repay principal. The investor "swaps" their risk with an insurance company, a bank, or a hedge fund. The institution accepts the risk against the bond, defaulting in…

Influencing interest rates is one of the most important things central banks do, because interest rates have a profound effect on economic growth, job creation and inflation. But how does it happen? Learn more in this FXCM Insights article.

What Is A Central Bank? A central bank manages a nation's currency, money supply and interest rates and acts as a lender of last resort to the country's banks. Many are also responsible for regulating and supervising their country's banks. Many are set up to be independent from their government, although their directors are usually appointed by that country's chief executive or leader of government. Most countries have their own…

An important part of measuring various items in investing, a weighted average is a mathematical formula that takes into account the relative size or importance of each item in a list of financial data rather than a simple average.

A repurchase agreement is a short-term loan structured as the sale of securities. As part of the repo, the seller agrees to buy the securities back at a later date. Learn more about a repo works at FXCM Insights.

A Ponzi scheme is a type of financial fraud that occurs when the perpetrator promises consistent, guaranteed returns on an investment. In reality, however, it simply involves paying early investors by using payments from new investors.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a statistic derived and used around the globe to identify prevailing inflationary or deflationary pressures. It is calculated by averaging the prices of a basket of select goods and services commonly consumed by households.

In the standardised trade of futures, participants buy and sell contracts in an attempt to secure marketshare. The phenomenon of contango is a prime example of how the process of price discovery works and how the expectations of market participants influence asset value. Contango Defined Pricing derivative products, such as futures and options, is dependent on three factors: asset class, quantity and time. In the case of futures, a contract's…

An order book is a real-time and continuously updated list of buy and sell orders on an exchange. It is used for specific financial assets, such as a stock or currency, and can be used to determine the price support for the asset in question.