Install
Business terms
Companies and markets: Wall Street, corporate deals, banks, retail brands, autos, airlines, media companies, housing, farming and the Federal Reserve.
ESG investing An investment approach that considers environmental, social and governance factors alongside financial returns, which has become politically contested. Central bank digital currency A digital form of a country's currency issued directly by the central bank, a proposal opposed by many conservatives on privacy grounds. Dual mandate The Federal Reserve's congressionally assigned goals of maximum employment and stable prices (with moderate long-term interest rates). Federal funds rate The interest rate at which banks lend reserve balances to each other overnight, the Federal Reserve's main policy lever. Gold standard A monetary system in which a currency's value is tied to a fixed amount of gold. Monetarism A school of economics, led by Milton Friedman, that holds the money supply is the chief influence on inflation and the business cycle. Monetary policy The actions of a central bank, such as setting interest rates, to influence money, credit and economic activity. Quantitative easing A policy in which a central bank buys government bonds and other securities in large amounts to lower long-term interest rates and support the economy. Crony capitalism An economy in which success depends on close ties between business leaders and government officials, not on competition. Eminent domain The government's power to take private property for public use after paying the owner just compensation. Rent control Government limits on how much landlords may charge or raise rents on residential housing.