Vacation Home

What is 'Vacation Home' A dwelling other than the owner's primary residence that is used for recreational purposes, like vacations (hence the name). Because vacation homes are only used at certain times, many owners will rent out their vacation homes when they are not using them. For example, a couple living in Maine might occupy a vacation...

EAFE Index

What is the 'EAFE Index' The EAFE Index is an index created by Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) that serves as a benchmark of the performance in major international equity markets as represented by 21 major MSCI indexes from Europe, Australia and Southeast Asia. This international index has been in existence for more than 30 years. ...

Jacob Schiff

DefinitionJacob Henry Schiff was a Jewish-American banker, businessman, and philanthropist. Among many other things, he helped finance the expansion of American railroads and the Japanese military efforts against Tsarist Russia in the Russo-Japanese War. Jacob Schiff What is 'Jacob Schiff' A banker and philanthropist who directed the National City Bank of New York, the Equitable Life Assurance...

SAFE Investment Company (China)

What is 'SAFE Investment Company (China)' The SAFE Investment Company is the Hong Kong branch of the Chinese sovereign wealth fund. The SAFE Investment Company is a private company, however officials from the Chinese State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) department serve on its Board of Directors. The fund is set aside primarily as a foreign currency...

Obamanomics

Obamanomics

What is Obamanomics Obamanomics is the economic policy pursued by US President Barack Obama. The main goals of Obamanomics are to boost job creation and economic growth, while also reducing the federal budget deficit. To achieve these goals, Obamanomics emphasizes the need for increased government investment in infrastructure and education, as well as tax cuts for middle-class families and businesses....

Kaizen

Definition Kaizen, is the Japanese word for "improvement". In business, kaizen refers to activities that continuously improve all functions and involve all employees from the CEO to the assembly line workers. It also applies to processes, such as purchasing and logistics, that cross organizational boundaries into the supply chain. It has been applied in healthcare, psychotherapy, life-coaching, government, banking, and...

Haggle

What is 'Haggle' When two parties involved in the purchase of a good and service negotiate the price until both parties can mutual agree on a price. The process of haggling involves two parties making offers and counteroffers to each other. The individual trying to buy the good and service is trying to pay the least amount...

A-Note

What is 'A-Note' The highest tranche of an asset backed security or other structured financial product. An A-note is senior to other notes, such as B-notes in bankruptcy or other credit proceedings, and is paid back first with funds from the underlying assets. They can be labeled AAA, AA, or A, depending on the credit quality of...

Initial Public Offerings – IPO

IPO or Initial Public Offering refers to the first stock sale made by a private organization to the public. This move is typically used by small companies that require funds in order to expand operations, but it is not uncommon for larger companies either especially those that wish to reach the public. The process is simple enough. In an...

Haas School of Business

What is 'Haas School of Business' The business school at the University of Berkeley. It offers a wide variety of programs, including an MBA degree, master's program in financial engineering, Ph.D. and undergraduate studies. The school's programs are usually ranked among the top in the country. Explaining 'Haas School of Business' The Haas School...