What is the Electronic Payments Network (EPN)? The Electronic Payments Network (EPN) is an automated clearinghouse (ACH) system – that is, a computerized electronic funds transfer system that processes both individual consumer and commercial financial transactions. It is the only entity in the private sector in the United States that is authorized to handle ACH…
What is Descriptive Statistics? The term “descriptive statistics” refers to the analysis, summary, and presentation of findings related to a data set derived from a sample or entire population. Descriptive statistics comprises three main categories – Frequency Distribution, Measures of Central Tendency, and Measures of Variability. Although descriptive statistics may provide information regarding a data…
What is Discount Yield? Discount yield is the expected annual percentage rate of return earned on a bond when it is sold at a discount on its face value. The discount yield is also popularly referred to as the bank discount yield (BDY). How is the Discount Yield Calculated? Discount yield is calculated as follows:…
What is “Third World”? The modern definition of “Third World” is used to classify countries that are poor or developing. Countries that are part of the “third world” are generally characterized by (1) high rates of poverty, (2) economic and/or political instability, and (3) high mortality rates. Historical Definition of “Third World” The use of…
What is an Intelligent Manufacturing System (IMS)? Intelligent Manufacturing System (IMS) is a modern system of manufacturing that integrates the abilities of humans, machines, and processes to achieve the best possible manufacturing outcome. Manufacturing system refers to the entire process of gathering inputs, arranging, and transforming them into the desired output. IMS seeks to achieve…
What is “Second World”? The use of the term “Second World” initially arose during the Cold War and was used to classify countries that aligned themselves with the Warsaw Pact. In 1955, the Warsaw Pact was established in response to the establishment of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949 by the United States…
What is Call Protection? Call protection refers to protection from investment risk to bond investors that exists by limiting the conditions under which a bond issuer may elect to call, i.e., redeem bonds before a bond’s stated maturity date. A call protection provision in a bond’s indenture, which outlines all the terms of the bond,…
What is a Call Ratio Back Spread? A call ratio back spread is a bullish options trading strategy that involves both buying and selling call options. The strategy is designed to maximally profit from a significant upward movement in the price of the underlying stock in the near term. The combination of options bought and…
What is a Call Provision? A call provision refers to a clause – essentially, an embedded option – in a bond purchase contract that gives the bond’s issuer the right to redeem the bond early, before its maturity date. Call provisions may also exist with preferred stock shares but are most commonly associated with bonds….
What is a Call Report? A call report is a quarterly report known as the Consolidated Report of Condition and Income that all commercial banks and similar financial institutions in the United States are required to file at the end of each calendar quarter. The report, also referred to as the RC report, is required…
