Explore the world's markets.
Beginner-friendly definitions, deeper metrics on demand. Live prices are end-of-day delayed and shown for education, not investment advice.
Asset
Something you own that has value.
An asset is anything of value you own — cash, stocks, bonds, a home, a business. Assets can generate income (rent, dividends), appreciate, or hold value.
Liability
Something you owe.
A liability is money you owe — credit card balances, loans, a mortgage. Subtract liabilities from assets to get net worth.
Net Worth
Assets minus liabilities.
A snapshot of your financial position. Track it monthly to see the impact of saving, paying down debt, and investing.
APR
Yearly cost of borrowing, as a %.
Annual Percentage Rate. Includes interest and some fees. Lower is better for borrowers.
APY
Yearly return on savings, compounded.
Annual Percentage Yield. Reflects the effect of compounding on savings accounts and CDs.
Compound Interest
Interest earned on interest.
When earnings are reinvested, future interest is calculated on a larger balance — growth accelerates over time.
Diversification
Spreading risk across investments.
Owning many different assets reduces the impact of any single one performing poorly.
ETF
Exchange-Traded Fund.
A basket of stocks, bonds, or other assets that trades on an exchange like a single stock. Often low-cost and tax-efficient.
Index Fund
Fund that tracks a market index.
A mutual fund or ETF designed to mirror a specific index (S&P 500, total market, etc.). Usually low-cost and broadly diversified.
Bond
A loan you make to a borrower.
When you buy a bond you lend money to a government or company. You collect interest and get principal back at maturity — unless the borrower defaults.
Market Cap
Share price × shares outstanding.
The total dollar value of a company's outstanding shares. Common size buckets: large-cap, mid-cap, small-cap.
P/E Ratio
Price divided by earnings.
Price-to-Earnings. How many dollars investors pay for one dollar of a company's earnings. Compare within an industry.
Dividend
Cash a company pays shareholders.
A portion of profits distributed to shareholders. Not all companies pay dividends.
Volatility
How much price bounces around.
A measure of price variability. Higher volatility means larger swings — both up and down.
Bull / Bear Market
Rising / falling markets.
A bull market broadly rises over time (often +20% from a low); a bear market broadly falls (often −20% from a high).
Inflation
Prices rising over time.
General increase in prices, measured by indexes like CPI. Erodes purchasing power of cash.
Interest Rate
The price of money.
The rate a lender charges a borrower. Central banks set short-term policy rates that influence rates across the economy.
GDP
Total value of goods and services.
Gross Domestic Product — a broad measure of a country's economic output.
Credit Score
A number that summarizes your credit history.
Common scores (FICO, VantageScore) range 300–850. Higher scores generally mean better loan terms.
Emergency Fund
Cash for surprises.
3–6 months of essential expenses in an easily accessible account. Buffers job loss, car repairs, medical bills.
Roth IRA
Retirement account with tax-free growth.
Contributions are made with after-tax money; qualified withdrawals in retirement are tax-free. Income limits apply.
401(k)
Workplace retirement plan.
Employer-sponsored retirement account. Often includes a match — free money if you contribute enough to earn it.