Over the long run, stocks have beaten the performance of any other major asset class by a wide margin. Since 1926, stocks have returned nearly 10% per year, on average. Note that this 89-year span includes numerous wars, recessions and the Great Depression. It also includes the severe decline in stock prices from late 2007 to early 2009, a period that overlaps what some call the Great Recession.
Stocks have proved their worth and deserve a prominent place in any long-term investment plan, such as a retirement account. But because stocks are volatile—which means that by their nature, their value rises and falls—invest in them with caution. Ideally, stocks should be held to meet medium- and long term goals.
In other words, money invested in stocks should not be money that you might need in three to five years. Stocks tend to deliver handsome returns over the long run, but volatile markets may not cooperate with your short-term cash needs.
Different Flavors of Stocks
Growth stocks are shares of companies with the potential to consistently generate above-average revenues and profit growth. These companies tend to reinvest most or all of their earnings in their businesses and pay out little or none of their profits to shareholders in the form of dividends. Growth companies expand faster than the overall economy, yet you can sometimes find these companies in mature industries. Note that even fast-growing companies are not necessarily good investments if their shares are overvalued.
Cyclical stocks are shares of companies whose sales and earnings are highly sensitive to the ups and downs of the economy. When the economy is performing well, cyclical companies tend to shine. A contracting economy typically hammers the sales and profits of these companies and hurts their stocks. Cyclical industries include manufacturers of steel, automobiles and chemicals, airlines and homebuilders.
Defensive stocks describe shares of companies whose sales of goods and services tend to hold up well even during economic downturns. Examples of industries that are substantially insulated from the business cycle are utilities, government contractors and producers of basic consumer products, such as food, beverages and pharmaceuticals.
Income stocks pay out a relatively high ratio of their earnings in the form of dividends. The companies that issue them tend to be mature and have limited opportunities for reinvesting their profits into moreattractive opportunities. Example: many utilities. Stocks that pay large dividends are usually less volatile because investors regularly receive cash dividends, regardless of market gyrations.
Value stocks describe stocks that are cheap in relation to fundamental measures such as profits, sales, cash flow or the value of a company’s assets.
Small-company stocks have generated better returns over time than stocks of large companies. Young, small companies tend to grow faster than their larger brethren. But there’s a trade-off: Small-company stocks are much more volatile than shares of big companies. There are a number of ways of defining what constitutes a small company. By one common definition, a small company is one with a stock-market capitalization of $1 billion or less (market capitalization is a company’s stock price multiplied by the number of shares outstanding).
Suggested Read: 50 Golden Rules of Investment and Trading
Foreign stocks add valuable diversification to a purely domestic stock portfolio. That’s because U.S. and foreign stock markets don’t always move in tandem. Foreign stocks provide exposure to overseas currencies, economies and business cycles. Overseas stocks are divided into two subsets: developed markets (such as Western Europe, Japan and Canada) and faster-growing emerging markets (China, India and Brazil, to name a few).
Below is the list of most commonly used abbreviations or terms related to Stock Market.
S.No. | Short Name | Meaning |
1 | ADB | Asian Development Bank |
2 | ADRs | American Depository Receipts |
3 | ADs | Authorised Dealers |
4 | AI | Auction Inquiry |
5 | AIFIs | All India Financial Institutions |
6 | AIs | Approved Intermediaries |
7 | AL | Activity Log |
8 | ALBM | Automated Lending and Borrowing Mechanism |
9 | ALBRS | Automated Lending and Borrowing under Rolling Settlement |
10 | AMC | Asset Management Company |
11 | AMFI | Association of Mutual Funds in India |
12 | AON | All or None |
13 | ASBA | Application Supported by Blocked Amount |
14 | ASC | Accounting Standards Committee |
15 | ASE | Ahmedabad Stock Exchange |
16 | AT | Algorithmic Trading |
17 | ATM | At-The-Money |
18 | ATSs | Alternative Trading System |
19 | B2B | Business-to-Business |
20 | BIFR | Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction |
21 | BIS | Bank for International Settlement |
22 | BLESS | Borrowing and Lending Securities Scheme |
23 | BM | Branch Manager |
24 | BMC | Base Minimum Capital |
25 | BO | Beneficial Owner |
26 | BOLT | BSE Online Trading |
27 | BOVL | Branch Order Value Limit |
28 | BSE | Bombay Stock Exchange |
29 | BTST | Buy Today Sell Tomorrow |
30 | CADT | Client Allocation Details |
31 | CB | Cum-Bonus |
32 | CBDT | Central Board of Direct Taxes |
33 | CC | Clearing Corporation |
34 | CCIL | Clearing Corporation of India Limited |
35 | CD | Cum-Dividend |
36 | CDs | Certificate of Deposits |
37 | CDS | Currency Derivatives Segment |
38 | CDSL | Central Depositories Services Ltd. |
39 | CE | Call Option |
40 | CEPA | Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement |
41 | CFM | Carry Forward Margin |
42 | CFRS | Carry Forward under Rolling Settlement |
43 | CH | Clearing House |
44 | CI | Cum-Interest |
45 | CIMC | Collective Investment Management Company |
46 | CIN | Corporate Identification Number |
47 | CISs | Collective Investment Schemes |
48 | CIVs | Collective Investment Vehicles |
49 | CLF | Collateralized Lending Facility |
50 | CLI | Client |
51 | CM | Capital Market |
52 | CM | Clearing Member |
53 | CMA | Capital Market Authority |
54 | CMIE | Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy |
55 | CML | Capital Market Law |
56 | CNC | Cash and Carry |
57 | Co. | Company |
58 | COSI | Committee on Settlement Issues |
59 | COTI | Committee of Trade Issues |
60 | CP | Custodial Participant |
61 | CPF | Customer Protection Fund |
62 | CPS | Cash Payout Scheme |
63 | CPs | Commercial Papers |
64 | CR | Cum-Rights |
65 | CRAs | Credit Rating Agencies |
66 | CRD | Central Registration Depository |
67 | CRISIL | Credit Rating Information Services of India Limited |
68 | CRR | Cash Reserve Ratio |
69 | CSD | Collateral Security Deposit |
70 | CSE | Calcutta Stock Exchange |
71 | CTCL | Computer to Computer Link |
72 | DCA | Department of Company Affairs |
73 | DDBs | Deep Discount Bonds |
74 | DEA | Department of Economic Affairs |
75 | DFDS | Demat Final Delivery Statement |
76 | DFIs | Development Financial Institutions |
77 | DFRS | Demat Final Receipt Statement |
78 | DIA | Deferred Income Annuities |
79 | DII | Domestic Institutional Investor |
80 | DIP | Disclosure and Investor Protection |
81 | DMA | Direct Market Access |
82 | DNPD | Derivatives and New Products Departments |
83 | DNS | Deferred Net Settlement |
84 | DP | Depository Participant |
85 | DPG | Dominant Promoter Group |
86 | DPs | Depository Participants |
87 | DQ | Disclosed Quantity |
88 | DRIP | Dividend Reinvestment Plans |
89 | DRR | Debenture Redemption Reserve |
90 | DSCE | Debt Securities Convertible into Equity |
91 | DVP | Delivery versus Payment |
92 | ECB | Euro Commercial Borrowings |
93 | ECBs | External Commercial Borrowings |
94 | ECM | Error Correction Model |
95 | ECNS | Electronic communication Networks |
96 | EDGAR | Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval |
97 | EDIFAR | Electronic Data Information Filing and Retrieval |
98 | EFT | Electronic Fund Transfer |
99 | ELSS | Equity Linked Saving Schemes |
100 | EMH | Efficient Market Hypothesis |
101 | EOD | End of Day |
102 | EPI | Early Pay-In |
103 | EPS | Earning Per Share |
104 | ETF | Exchange Traded Funds |
105 | F&O | Futures and Options |
106 | FCCBs | Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds |
107 | FD | Fixed Deposit |
108 | FDI | Foreign Direct Investment |
109 | FDR | Foreign Deposit Receipts |
110 | FDs | Fixed Deposits |
111 | FI | Financial Institution |
112 | FIA | Fixed Index Annuities |
113 | FIBV | International World Federation of Stock Exchanges |
114 | FIIs | Foreign Institutional Investors |
115 | FIMMDA | Fixed Income Money Market and Derivatives Association of India |
116 | FIPB | Foreign Investment Promotion Board |
117 | FIs | Financial Institutions |
118 | FISE | Federation of Indian Stock Exchanges |
119 | FOK | Fill-Or-Kill |
120 | FPI | Foreign Portfolio Investor |
121 | FPO | Follow-on Public Offer |
122 | FRAs | Forward Rate Agreements |
123 | FSDC | Financial Stability and Development Council |
124 | FTP | File Transfer Protocol |
125 | FVCIs | Foreign Venture Capital Investors |
126 | G-Secs | Government securities |
127 | GDP | Gross Domestic Product |
128 | GDRs | Global Depository Receipts |
129 | GDS | Gross National Product |
130 | GDS | Gross Domestic Savings |
131 | GNP | Gross National Product |
132 | GOI | Government of India |
133 | GTC | Good Till Cancelled |
134 | GTD | Good Till Days/Date |
135 | HNIs | High Net worth Individuals |
136 | HUF | Hindu Undivided Family |
137 | IBRD | International Bank for Reconstruction and Development |
138 | ICAI | Institute of Chartered Accountants of India |
139 | ICDR | Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements |
140 | ICI | Investment Company Institute |
141 | ICSE | Inter-Connected Stock Exchange of India Limited |
142 | IEPF | Investor Education and Protection Fund |
143 | IFC | International Finance Corporation |
144 | IFSD | Initial Free Security Deposit |
145 | IFSD | Interest Free Security Deposit |
146 | IIM | Indian Institute of Management |
147 | IISL | India Index Services and Products Limited |
148 | INST | Institutional |
149 | IOC | Immediate or Cancel |
150 | IOSCO | International Organisation of Securities Commission |
151 | IPF | Investor Protection Fund |
152 | IPO | Initial Public Offering |
153 | IRDA | Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority |
154 | IRS | Interest Rate Swap |
155 | ISC | Investor Service Cell |
156 | ISIN | International Securities Identification Number |
157 | ISSA | International Securities Services Association |
158 | IT | Information Technology |
159 | ITM | In-The-Money |
160 | KYC | Know Your Customer (Know Your Client) |
161 | LAF | Liquidity Adjustment Facility |
162 | LO | Limit Orders |
163 | LTP | Last Trade Price |
164 | MA | Moving Average |
165 | MAC | Membership Approval Committee |
166 | MAPIN | Market Participant Identification Number |
167 | MAS | Monetary Authority of Singapore |
168 | MBP | Market By Price |
169 | MC | Market Capitalization (Market Cap) |
170 | MCA | Member Constituent Agreement |
171 | MCFS | Modified Carry Forward System |
172 | MF | Mutual Fund |
173 | MFSS | Mutual Fund Service System |
174 | MI | Market Inquiry |
175 | MIBID | Mumbai Inter-bank Bid Rate |
176 | MIBOR | Mumbai Inter-bank Offer Rate |
177 | MIDAS | Mixed Data Sampling |
178 | MIRSD | Market Intermediaries Registration and Supervision department |
179 | MIS | Margin Intraday Squareoff |
180 | MKT | Market |
181 | MM | Market Maker |
182 | MM | Market Movement |
183 | MMMF | Money Market Mutual Fund |
184 | MNCs | Multi National Companies |
185 | MOU | Memorandum of Understanding |
186 | MPSE | Madhya Pradesh Stock Exchange |
187 | MRC | Membership Recommendation Committee |
188 | MRD | Market Regulation Department |
189 | MTM | Mark-To-Market |
190 | MW | Market Watch |
191 | NADL | National Securities Depositoary Limited |
192 | NASDAQ | National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System |
193 | NAV | Net Asset Value |
194 | NBFCs | Non-Banking Financial Companies |
195 | NCAER | National Council for Applied Economic Research |
196 | NCDs | Non-convertible Debentures |
197 | NCDS | Non-convertible Debt Securities |
198 | NCFM | NSE’s Certification in Financial Markets |
199 | NCIT | Non Custodian Institutional Trade |
200 | ND | No Delivery |
201 | NDS | Negotiated Dealing System |
202 | NEAT | National Exchange for Automated Trading |
203 | NEAT | National Stock Exchange Automated Trading |
204 | NGOs | Non Government Organizations |
205 | NIBIS | NSE’s Internet-based Information System |
206 | NIC | National Informatics Centre |
207 | NIE | Newly Industrialized Economics |
208 | NISM | National Institute of Securities Market |
209 | NOC | No Objection Certificate |
210 | NPAs | Non Performing Assets |
211 | NRIs | Non Resident Indians |
212 | NSCCL | National Securities Clearing Corporation of India Limited |
213 | NSDL | National Securities Depository Limited |
214 | NSE | National Stock Exchange |
215 | NT | Negotiated Trade |
216 | O | Odd Lot market |
217 | OCBs | Overseas Corporate Bodies |
218 | OCXL | Order Cancellation |
219 | OECLOB | Open Electronic Consolidated Limit Order Book |
220 | OHLC | Open High Low Close |
221 | OIAE | Office of Investor Assistance and Education |
222 | OIS | Overnight Index Swaps |
223 | OM | Order Modification |
224 | OO | Outstanding Orders |
225 | ORS | Order Routing System |
226 | OS | Order Status |
227 | OTC | Over The Counter |
228 | OTCEI | Over the Counter Exchange of India Limited |
229 | OTM | Out-of the-Money |
230 | OTP | One Time Password |
231 | P/E | Price to Earnings Ratio |
232 | PAN | Permanent Account Number |
233 | PCM | Professional Clearing Member |
234 | PDAI | Primary Dealers Association of India |
235 | PDO | Public Debt Office |
236 | PDs | Primary Dealers |
237 | PE | Put Option |
238 | PFRDA | Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Fund |
239 | PIO | Persons of Indian Origin |
240 | PIS | Portfolio Investment Scheme |
241 | POI | Proof of Identity |
242 | PPF | Public Provident Fund |
243 | PRI | Principal Return Index |
244 | PRISM | Parallel Risk Management System |
245 | PRO | Proprietary |
246 | PSUs | Public Sector Undertakings |
247 | PT | Previous Trades |
248 | PV | Present Value |
249 | QFI | Qualified Foreign Investors |
250 | QIBs | Qualified Institutional Buyers |
251 | RBI | Reserve Bank of India |
252 | RD | Recurring Deposit |
253 | RDD | Risk Disclosure Document |
254 | RDM | Retail Debt Market |
255 | RETDEBT | Retail Debt |
256 | ROCs | Registrar of Companies |
257 | RSI | Relative Strength Index |
258 | RTGS | Real time Gross Settlement |
259 | S&P | Standard and Poor’s |
260 | SAT | Securities Appellate Tribunal |
261 | SBTS | Screen Based Trading System |
262 | SC(R)A | Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956 |
263 | SC(R)R | Securities Contracts (Regulation) Rules, 1957 |
264 | SCMRD | Society for Capital Market Research and Development |
265 | SCSBs | Self Certified Syndicate Banks |
266 | SEBI | Securities and Exchange Board of India |
267 | SEC | Securities and Exchange Commission |
268 | SES | Stock Exchange of Singapore |
269 | SGF | Settlement Guarantee Fund |
270 | SGL | Subsidiary General Ledger |
271 | SGX-DT | The Singapore Exchange Derivatives Trading Limited |
272 | SIPC | Securities Investor Protection Corporation |
273 | SL | Stop Loss |
274 | SLBS | Securities Lending and Borrowing Scheme |
275 | SLR | Statutory Liquidity Ratio |
276 | SMEs | Small and Medium-sized Companies |
277 | SPAN | Standard Portfolio Analysis of Risks |
278 | SPV | Special Purpose Vehicle |
279 | SQ | Snap Quote |
280 | SROs | Self Regulatory Organizations |
281 | SSS | Securities Settlement System |
282 | STI | Straits Times Index |
283 | STP | Straight Through Processing |
284 | STRIPS | Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities |
285 | STT | Securities Transaction Tax |
286 | SURCON | Surveillance and Control |
287 | T+2 | Second day from the trading day |
288 | T-Bills | Treasury Bills |
289 | TDS | Tax Deducted at Source |
290 | TFTS | Trade for Trade Surveillance |
291 | TM | Trading Member |
292 | TP | Trigger Price |
293 | TRI | Total Return Index |
294 | UCC | Unique Client Code |
295 | UDR | Unique Documentary Requirement |
296 | UIN | Unique Identification Number |
297 | UOVL | User Order Value Limit |
298 | UTI | Unit Trust of India |
299 | VAR | Value at Risk |
300 | VCFs | Venture Capital Funds |
301 | VCUs | Venture Capital Undertakings |
302 | VIX | Volatility Index |
303 | VSAT | Very Small Aperture Terminal |
304 | WDM | Wholesale Debt Market |
305 | XB | Ex- Bonus |
306 | XD | EX-Dividend |
307 | XI | Ex-Interest |
308 | XR | Ex- Rights |
309 | YTM | Yield to Maturity |
310 | ZCYC | Zero Coupon Yield Curve |
For any query, you can drop a mail at contact@onlinehyme.com.
You may also like:- SEBI Makes 45 New Additions in the F&O Including Zomato, IRFC and Yes Bank
- Top 7 Essential Secrets of Successful Trading
- BigB, Rahul Dravid, Karan Johar, and Other Celebrities Snap Up Swiggy’s Pre-IPO Shares
- 30 Rules to Master Swing Trading
- Important Terms Related to Stock Market Trading
- US Federal Reserve Cuts Rates by 50 Basis Points
- How Market Operators Control Stock Prices
- SEBI Employees Protest Alleged Toxic Work Environment, Call for Chairperson’s Resignation
- 5 Common Misuses of the Price-to-Earnings (P/E) Ratio
- Understanding Stop Loss Orders in Stock Trading
This Post Has One Comment