British and American Financial Terms

British

American

Annual General Meeting (AGM)

Annual Stockholders Meeting

Articles of Association

Bylaws

authorised share capital

authorized capital stock

barometer stock

bellwether stock

base rate

prime rate

bonus or capitalisation issue

stock dividend or stock split

bridging loan

bridge loan

building society

savings and loan association

cheque

check

company

corporation

creditors

accounts payable

current account

checking account

debtors

accounts receivable

gilt-edged stock (gilts)

Treasury bonds

labour

labor

Memorandum of Association

Certificate of Incorporation

merchant bank

investment bank

ordinary share

common stock

overheads

overhead

profit and loss account

income statement

property

real estate

quoted company

listed company

retail price index (RPI)

consumer price index (CPI)

share

stock

share premium

paid-in surplus

shareholder

stockholder

shareholders' equity

stockholders' equity

stock

inventory

trade union

labor union

unit trusts

mutual funds

visible trade

merchandise trade

1

A.T.M.

abbr. Automated Teller Machine; cash dispenserUK

2

banknote

n: a piece of paper money; bill^US

3

bill^US

n. a banknote; a piece of paper money

4

black market

n. illegal traffic in officially controlled commodities such as foreign currency

5

bureau de change

n. establishment where currencies of different countries may be exchanged

6

cash

n. 1 coins or bank notes (not cheques); 2 actual money paid (not credit)

7

cash dispenser^UK

n: automatic machine from which clients of a bank may withdraw money; ATM

8

cashier

n. person dealing with cash transactions in a bank, store etc

9

coin

n: a piece of metal money

10

currency

n. the money in general use or circulation in any country

11

debt

n. money etc owed by one person to another

12

exchange rate

n. the rate at which one currency can be exchanged for another

13

foreign exchange

n: the currency of other countries

14

hard currency

n. currency that will probably not fall in value and is readily accepted

15

invest

v. to put money for profit into business, land etc - investment n.

16

legal tender

n: currency that cannot legally be refused in payment of a debt

17

petty cash^UK

n. a cash fund for small, everyday expenses

18

soft currency

n. currency that will probably fall in value and is not readily accepted

19

speculate

v. (risky) buying of foreign currency, land etc for rapid gain - speculation n.

20

transaction

n. a (usually commercial) exchange; a deal - to transact v.

1

attorney

n. 1 a person appointed to act for or represent another 2^US lawyer

2

barrister^UK

n. a lawyer who pleads before a superior court

3

brief

n. 1^UK instructions to a barrister - also v. 2^US written statement of facts

4

case

n. statement of the facts in a trial, esp. the argument of one side

5

contract

n. a formal agreement, usually in writing, between two or more parties

6

court of law

n. the place where law cases are hear and decided; court - courtroom n.

7

evidence

n. information presented to a court to prove or support a point in question

8

guilty

adj. responsible for wrong; culpable - guilt n. not guilty adj.

9

judge

n. official with authority to hear and decide cases in a court of law - also v.

10

jury

n. a group of people chosen to hear the evidence of a case and give a decision

11

lawsuit

n. a trial at court between two private parties

12

lawyer

n. a person trained in law and who advises or represents others

13

plead

v. 1 to defend a law case 2 to declare oneself to be guilty or not guilty - plea n.

14

sentence

n. 1 decision of a court, esp. as to the punishment 2 the punishment - also v.

15

solicitor

n. 1^UK lawyer advising clients & briefing barristers 2^US law officer for a city etc

16

sue

v. to start legal action against someone in a court of law - lawsuit n.

17

sum up

v. to summarise & review the evidence of a case - summing up n.

18

trial

n. a formal examination of a case in a court of law - to try v.

19

verdict

n. the formal decision or finding of a judge or jury

20

without prejudice

without detriment or damage to a legal right or claim