B
Bear Market
MarketsA period in which prices are generally falling and pessimism dominates, often defined as a decline of 20% or more from recent highs.
Blue-chip Stock
InvestingShares of a large, well-established, financially sound company with a long track record.
Bull Market
MarketsA period in which prices are generally rising and optimism is widespread.
C
Capital Gain
TaxesThe profit you make when you sell an asset for more than you paid for it.
Compound Interest
InvestingInterest earned not only on your original amount but also on the interest already added — so growth accelerates over time.
Credit Score (CIBIL)
Personal FinanceA three-digit number, typically from 300 to 900, that summarises how reliably you have repaid borrowed money.
D
Demat Account
InvestingAn account that holds your shares and other securities in electronic form, replacing old paper certificates.
Diversification
InvestingSpreading your money across different investments so that a fall in any one of them has a limited effect on your overall portfolio.
Dividend
InvestingA share of a company's profits paid out to its shareholders, usually in cash.
E
ELSS (Equity-Linked Savings Scheme)
TaxesA type of equity mutual fund eligible for a deduction under Section 80C, notable for having the shortest lock-in among 80C options.
Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF)
InvestingA fund that holds a basket of securities, usually tracking an index, whose units trade on a stock exchange like a share.
Expense Ratio
InvestingThe annual fee a mutual fund charges to manage your money, expressed as a percentage of your investment.
I
M
Market Capitalisation
InvestingThe total market value of a company's shares, calculated as the share price multiplied by the total number of shares.
Moving Average
Technical AnalysisThe average price of an asset over a set number of recent periods, recalculated each period so the line 'moves' through time.