100 Key Financial and Legal Terms

Amma Usman

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Hey all!

In this thread, I’ve included a list of 100 terms I believe are essential to building that commercial awareness. I’ve made a 50/50 split, covering financial and legal terms. Feel free to add any more terms and definitions you feel are essential ! ;)


50 Financial Terms


1. Asset:
Anything of value owned by an individual or organisation, such as cash, stocks, or property.

2. Liability: A financial obligation or debt owed by an individual or organisation to another party.

3. Equity: The value of ownership in a company, typically measured as assets minus liabilities.

4. Bond: A fixed-income investment representing a loan made by an investor to a borrower.

5. Dividend: A portion of a company's profits distributed to its shareholders.

6. Capital: Financial resources or assets used to fund a business's operations or investments.

7. Liquidity: The ease with which an asset can be converted into cash without affecting its value.

8. Hedge: A strategy used to minimise risk in investments by offsetting potential losses.

9. Inflation: The rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services rises, eroding purchasing power.

10. Deflation: A decrease in the general price level of goods and services, often indicating reduced demand.

11. Gross Domestic Product (GDP): The total monetary value of all finished goods and services produced within a country's borders in a specific time period.

12. Monetary Policy: Central bank policies aimed at controlling money supply and interest rates to influence economic activity.

13. Fiscal Policy: Government decisions on taxation and spending to influence economic conditions.

14. Exchange Rate: The value of one currency in relation to another.

15. Interest Rate: The percentage charged on a loan or paid on savings over time.

16. Yield: The earnings generated on an investment over a specific period, expressed as a percentage.

17. Stock: A share in the ownership of a company, representing a claim on its assets and profits.

18. Market Capitalisation: The total value of a company's outstanding shares, calculated as share price multiplied by the number of shares.

19. IPO (Initial Public Offering): The process by which a private company offers shares to the public for the first time.

20. Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A): The consolidation of companies through combining (merger) or purchasing (acquisition).

21. Derivatives: Financial instruments whose value is derived from an underlying asset, such as stocks or bonds.

22. Option: A contract that gives the holder the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell an asset at a specified price.

23. Futures Contract: An agreement to buy or sell an asset at a future date and a predetermined price.

24. Leverage: The use of borrowed funds to increase the potential return on an investment.

25. Portfolio: A collection of financial investments like stocks, bonds, and cash equivalents.

26. Risk Appetite: The level of risk an investor or organisation is willing to accept to achieve financial goals.

27. Arbitrage: The simultaneous purchase and sale of an asset to profit from price differences.

28. Venture Capital: Financing provided to startups and small businesses with growth potential in exchange for equity.

29. Private Equity: Investments made in privately held companies, often involving buyouts or restructuring.

30. ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance): Non-financial factors considered in investment decision-making.

31. Balance Sheet: A financial statement showing a company’s assets, liabilities, and equity at a specific point in time.

32. Income Statement: A financial statement that reports a company's revenue, expenses, and profit over a period.

33. Cash Flow Statement: A financial report detailing cash inflows and outflows during a given period.

34. Working Capital: The difference between a company's current assets and current liabilities, indicating liquidity.

35. Blue-Chip Stock: Shares in a well-established and financially stable company.

36. Bull Market: A financial market characterised by rising prices and optimism.

37. Bear Market: A financial market characterised by declining prices and pessimism.

38. Short Selling: A trading strategy where an investor sells borrowed shares, aiming to buy them back later at a lower price.

39. Margin: The difference between the cost of a product or service and its selling price.

40. Credit Default Swap (CDS): A financial derivative used to transfer the risk of default on a loan or debt.

41. Quantitative Easing: A monetary policy tool where a central bank purchases securities to increase money supply.

42. Sovereign Debt: The money borrowed by a country's government, typically in the form of bonds.

43. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): Investments made by a company or individual in one country into business interests in another.

44. Trade Surplus: A situation where a country exports more than it imports.

45. Trade Deficit: A situation where a country imports more than it exports.

46. Hard Currency: A stable currency widely accepted in global trade, like the US dollar or euro.

47. Soft Currency: A less stable currency prone to depreciation, often limited to domestic use.

48. Economies of Scale: Cost advantages gained by producing goods in larger quantities.

49. Subprime Mortgage: A type of loan offered to individuals with poor credit history, often at higher interest rates.

50. Collateral: An asset pledged by a borrower to secure a loan, forfeited if the loan is not repaid.


50 Legal Terms


1. Tort:
A civil wrong causing harm or loss, leading to legal liability.

2. Contract: A legally binding agreement between two or more parties.

3. Breach of Contract: Failure to fulfil the terms of a contractual agreement.

4. Consideration: Something of value exchanged between parties in a contract.

5. Offer: A proposal to enter into a contract, which becomes binding once accepted.

6. Acceptance: Agreement to the terms of an offer, forming a binding contract.

7. Negligence: Failure to exercise reasonable care, resulting in harm or damage.

8. Damages: Monetary compensation awarded to a party who has suffered harm or loss.

9. Equity (Law): A branch of law providing remedies not available under common law.

10. Injunction: A court order requiring a party to do or refrain from doing something.

11. Judicial Review: A process by which courts review the legality of decisions made by public bodies.

12. Precedent: A legal principle established in previous court cases, used as guidance in future cases.

13. Statute: A written law passed by a legislative body.

14. Common Law: Law developed through judicial decisions rather than statutes.

15. Fiduciary Duty: A legal obligation to act in the best interests of another party.

16. Corporate Governance: The system of rules and practices by which a company is directed and controlled.

17. Merger: The combining of two companies into a single entity.

18. Acquisition: The purchase of one company by another.

19. Due Diligence: A comprehensive appraisal of a business before a transaction to evaluate its assets, liabilities, and potential risks.

20. Arbitration: A method of dispute resolution outside the courts, with a binding decision by a neutral third party.

21. Mediation: A non-binding dispute resolution process facilitated by a neutral third party.

22. Litigation: The process of taking legal action through the courts.

23. Jurisdiction: The authority of a court to hear and decide cases.

24. Intellectual Property (IP): Legal rights protecting creations of the mind, such as inventions, trademarks, and copyrights.

25. Patent: A legal right granted to an inventor to exclude others from making or selling their invention.

26. Trademark: A symbol, word, or phrase legally registered to represent a brand or product.

27. Copyright: Legal protection for original works of authorship, such as books, music, and art.

28. Confidentiality Agreement: A contract protecting sensitive information from being disclosed.

29. Partnership: A legal relationship between two or more people to operate a business.

30. Shareholder: An individual or entity owning shares in a company.

31. Directors' Duties: Legal obligations directors owe to a company and its stakeholders.

32. Limited Liability: A legal structure limiting an individual's financial responsibility for a company's debts.

33. Subsidiary: A company controlled by a parent company through majority ownership.

34. Insider Trading: The illegal practice of trading securities based on non-public information.

35. Force Majeure: A contract clause excusing performance due to extraordinary events beyond control.

36. Indemnity: A contractual obligation to compensate for a loss or damage incurred.

37. Liquidation: The process of dissolving a company by selling its assets to pay debts.

38. Receivership: A legal process where a receiver is appointed to manage a company’s assets to repay creditors.

39. Securities: Financial instruments, such as stocks and bonds, representing ownership or debt.

40. Prospectus: A formal document issued by a company detailing its financial health and operations, used to attract investors.

41. Articles of Association: A document outlining a company's internal rules and regulations.

42. Memorandum of Association: A legal document stating a company’s purpose and the scope of its operations.

43. Employment Contract: A legally binding agreement outlining the terms of employment.

44. Data Protection: Legal rules governing the use and storage of personal information.

45. Competition Law: Regulations promoting fair competition and preventing anti-competitive practices.

46. Bribery: Offering, giving, or receiving something of value to influence the actions of another party.

47. Anti-Money Laundering (AML): Laws and regulations designed to prevent the illegal generation of income through criminal activities.

48. Whistleblowing: Reporting unethical or illegal activities within an organisation.

49. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): A company's commitment to ethical practices and social responsibility.

50. Breach of Trust: Failure to fulfil the duties or obligations of a trustee.


Hope this was of help! :) Goodluck with the applications and interviews!