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Fiat money has value because the government has declared that it does. This kind of money has no intrinsic value, but since a government supports it, fiat currency can be exchanged for goods and services. Let's now look at exactly what fiat money is, how it can be used, and its benefits and downfalls. Money Basics Money comes in many different forms. However, anything that is used as money needs…

Stocks come in two varieties. "Common stocks" are indeed the most common, hence the name. For most people, the words "stocks" and "common stocks" are nearly synonymous terms. However, there is another type of stock, known as "preferred." While both common and preferred offer ownership shares in a company, there are big differences between the two. In a nutshell, common stocks offer the greatest reward but at the greatest risk.…

What Is A Balance Sheet? The balance sheet is one of the three most important documents—the other two are income statement and the statement of cash flow—that companies produce that enable their investors to examine and assess their financial health. Publicly traded companies are required to produce and publish these documents regularly, usually once per quarter, to shareholders as well as to tax and regulatory authorities. The balance sheet shows…

What Is A Warrant? A warrant is a security that gives the holder the right to purchase a company's stock or bond at a specific price by a certain date. Warrants are similar to options, but warrants are issued directly by a company, usually as an incentive to get investors to buy the company's stock or bonds. Options, by contrast, are a contract between two parties in which the holder…

Conventional wisdom suggests that prosperity and currency appreciation are good for the welfare of a nation. However, if domestic wealth increases too quickly, a phenomenon known as Dutch disease may prove detrimental to the long-term economic health of an afflicted country. What Is Dutch Disease? Dutch disease is a financial expression used to describe the negative influence that a sudden appreciation of a nation's wealth and domestic currency can have…

As you become more familiar with trading stocks, there are specific strategies that can help you achieve your financial goals. This article will provide a more comprehensive framework for trading stocks, complete with key steps investors can take. Determine Your Goals Before they do anything else, investors who are interested in trading the stock market should determine their goals. To figure out your plan, you must first establish where you…

In comparison to other securities, implementing short-term strategies such as day trading on equities products can be capital intensive. Regulatory and broker guidelines raise margin requirements to levels in excess of many other securities. While market participants still actively day trade stocks, the barriers of entry are significantly higher than those found in the forex, futures and contract-for-difference (CFD) markets. Regardless of monetary considerations, stock day trading does offer consistent…

What Is A Convertible Bond? Convertible bonds are a hybrid security that act mainly as a bond but also give the holder the right to convert the security into common shares of the issuing company at certain times and usually at the investor's option. Unlike traditional corporate bonds, convertibles offer investors a limited opportunity to participate if the stock of the issuing company rises. If the company's stock falters, investors…

What Is Cost Accounting? Cost accounting is a process companies go through to determine how much it costs to manufacture a product or provide a service in order to decide: how much they should make, the price they should charge and how profitable the product or service is. The main goal of cost accounting is to determine the breakeven point, above which sales revenue exceeds costs and the company makes…

What Is Dow Theory? The Dow Theory is a technical analysis concept that adherents believe can signal whether the stock market is headed upward ("bullish") or downward ("bearish"). The idea was developed in the late 19th century by Charles Dow. He was the founder of the Wall Street Journal and co-founder of its then parent company, Dow Jones & Company, as well as the creator of the Dow Jones Industrial…

What Is An Income Statement? The income statement is one of the main financial statements that companies prepare regularly to measure their financial health. The income statement—also known as a profit and loss statement (P&L)—shows the company's profitability over a given period of time. Most public companies prepare income statements quarterly, and private companies may do it more frequently, such as monthly. Investors use income statements to discern the basic…