Articles on Stock markets
News, Research and Analysis
What is a Corporate Bond?
A corporate bond is a debt security issued by a public or private company to raise capital.
They are generally issued in multiples of $1,000 or $5,000, and the issuing company must agree to pay a certain interest rate typically determined by their creditworthiness and earning history/potential.
Often times the corporation issuing the debt must use their physical assets as collateral, and it is often found that corporations are more likely to issue debt during an environment when interest rates are low, so they can borrow at attractive rates. Corporate debt that matures in less than one year is called ‘commercial paper.’
What Happens When a Company Goes Bankrupt?
What Types of Bonds Are There?
What is a Convertible Bond?
What should I know about private placements?
Private placements may be for non-public companies, or it may be a private offering of a publicly traded company
What if the Matching Contribution for My 401(k) is in Company Stock?
Employer contributions in the form of company stock can pose some liquidity issues, but it can also be a nice benefit
What are the Contribution Limits for My Money Purchase/Profit Sharing Plan?
Contributions are generally limited to 25% of employee compensation, but a small addition amount may be contributed for
What is a Living Trust?
A living trust describes a trust designed to transfer assets to beneficiaries upon the death of the owner/grantor
What is IRS Publication 334, Tax Guide for Small Business?
There are many nuances to filing taxes, and many kinds of small businesses, so this form comes into use quite often
What is the Symmetrical Triangle Top (Bearish) Pattern?
The Symmetrical Triangle Top pattern forms when a stock price fails to retest a high or low and forms two trend lines
What are foreign currency effects?
Companies with significant operations or sales abroad will be affected by changes in foreign currency exchange rates
What is market disruption?
Market disruption is a term that describes the state of affairs when the status quo of the stock market or a...
What are SPDRs?
SPDRs (Spiders) are index ETF shares that track the S&P 500, or could refer to other similar ETFs tracking other indices
How are Mutual Funds Classified?
Mutual funds can be described, categorized, and screened using the various criteria involved in their construction...