final Flashcards
What is Finance?
The study of how we allocate money and how it’s done
Finance addresses how resources are allocated, under what terms, and through what channels.
What are financial contracts/securities?
Occur whenever funds are transferred from issuer to buyer
What are real assets?
Tangible items owned by persons and businesses, such as:
* Residential structures and property
* Major appliances and automobiles
* Office towers, factories, and mines
* Machinery and equipment
What are financial assets?
What one individual has lent to another, such as:
* Consumer credit
* Loans
* Mortgages
Define money.
A scarce resource that serves as:
* A medium of exchange
* A measure of value
* A means of payment
What role do households play in the financial system?
Households provide funds to businesses and government, hold both real and financial assets, and must accumulate financial resources for retirement.
What is intermediation?
The transfer of funds from lenders to borrowers
What are the 3 ways funds can be channeled from savers to borrowers?
Funds can be channeled through:
* Direct transfer in a non-market transaction
* Direct intermediation through a market intermediary
* Indirect claims through a financial intermediary
What is the primary function of financial intermediaries?
Transform the nature of the securities they issue and invest in
What is the difference between market intermediaries and financial intermediaries?
Market intermediaries help make markets work by adding liquidity, while financial intermediaries invest on behalf of others.
What are the major categories of financial securities?
Two major categories:
* Debt instruments
* Equity instruments
What are non-marketable assets?
Assets that cannot be traded between investors, such as:
* Savings accounts
* Term deposits
* Guaranteed investment certificates (GICs)
What are marketable assets?
Assets that can be traded between investors after their original issue, such as:
* Stocks
* Bonds
What is a stock?
An investment that represents ownership in a company, typically through shares.
What is a bond?
A debt security issued by corporations or governments, where you lend money for a set period at a set interest rate.
What is the primary market?
Markets that involve the issue of new securities by a company in exchange for cash from investors.
What is the secondary market?
Markets that involve buyers and sellers of existing securities, with no new capital formed.
What is market capitalization?
The total market value of a company calculated as:
* Number of shares x Share price
What is venture capital?
Investing in early-stage companies until they become profitable.
What is bootstrapping?
The process by which entrepreneurs raise seed money and obtain resources necessary to start their businesses.
What are the three principal ways VC firms exit venture-backed companies?
Exit strategies include:
* Selling to a strategic buyer
* Selling to a financial buyer
* Initial public offering (IPO)
What is an IPO?
A company’s first sale of common stock in the public market.
What is the importance of staged funding in venture capital?
Allows venture capitalists to reassess performance and manage risk at each funding stage.
What does syndication in venture capital involve?
The common practice of selling a percentage of a deal to other VC firms to reduce risk and obtain financing.