Greatest Depression
The period from 1929 until the end of the 1930s has been termed the"Great Depression," but some have also called it the "Greatest Depression." The modern term of "Greatest…
Greece of the Caribbean (Puerto Rico in financial crisis)
A comparison of any place to the country of Greece can be taken two ways. If the comparison is to ancient Greece, then it's a compliment, referencing democracy and advanced education. If the…
Greekovery (Greek + recovery)
"Grexit" (Greece/Greek + exit) was a popular term in 2012, when it was feared that a poor Greek economy would force the nation to exit the euro zone. Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras…
Greenmail
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: GreenmailGreenmail or greenmailing is the practice of purchasing enough shares in a firm to threaten a takeover and thereby forcing the target firm to buy those…
Greenspan Put (Fed Put)
The "Greenspan put" (also called the "Fed put") is a put option named after Alan Greenspan, chairman of the Federal Reserve from 1987 to 2006. The Long-Term Capital Management…
Grexit (Greece/Greek + exit)
"Grexit" (Greece/Greek + exit) is a word created to define a possible Greek exit from the eurozone. The term was coined in February 2012 by Citigroup economists Willem Buiter and Ebrahim…
Grimbo (Greece/Greek + limbo)
"Grimbo" (Greek/Greece + limbo) is a term that was used to describe the weak Greek economy in 2012 and in 2015. In October 2012, "Grimbo" was used by Alex White of JP Morgan. In…
Groath (growth)
"Groath" is a jocular spelling for "growth" that has been popularly used on the financial blog Zero Hedge. The spelling often mocks illusory "growth." "Moar…
Guesstimate or Guestimate (guess + estimate)
A "guesstimate" is a "guess/estimate." Business and government economic forecasting involves what many call "guesstimates" or "guesstimation." The word…
Haines Bottom (call of a market bottom on March 10, 2009)
CNBC Squawk on the Street host Mark Haines (1946-2011) went on the air on March 10, 2009 and declared that there was a bottom to the stock market. "I'm going to step out on a limb…
Hanukkah Gelt
Jewish children celebrating Hanukkah or Chanukah (the Festival of Lights) traditionally have received "Hanukkah gelt" (money), which the children would spend on candies or on a charitable…
Have Yachts (from “haves and have nots”)
The world has "haves" (the rich) and "have nots" (the poor). A new category is sometimes added -- the "have yachts" (mega-rich). A battle between the "haves"…
Head-and-Shoulders Pattern
A "head and shoulder" chart pattern looks like a shoulder, then rising to form a head, and then another shoulder; there is also an "inverted head and shoulders" pattern. The…
Heartbeat Loan
A "heartbeat loan" is a loan given to anyone with a heartbeat. It's sometimes said that banks so dearly wanted to make mortgages (and collect mortgage fees) that the banks would give…
Hedgie
A "hedgie" is a hedge fund or someone who works for a hedge fund. The term "hedgie" has been cited in print since at least 1986-87. The Free DictionaryHedgieSlang for a hedge…
Helicopter Drop or Helicopter Printing Press (“Helicopter Ben” Bernanke)
The economist Milton Friedman (1912-2006) wrote, in 1969, about dropping money from a helicopter to stimulate the economy. In November 2002, Ben Bernanke (then a member of the Board of Governors of…
Hells Fargo or Hell’s Fargo (Wells Fargo nickname)
Wells Fargo bank was founded in New York City in 1852. Wells Fargo -- one of the Big Four banks in the United States with Bank of America, Citigroup and JP Morgan Chase -- is now headquartered in…
High Finance
"High finance" means financial transactions that involve large sums of money. The term "high finance" has been cited in print since at least 1858, but began to be used with…
High-Speed Swim Lane (HSSL or “hustle”)
Countrywide Financial was once a large mortgage lender; Countrywide failed during the financial crisis of 2008, when it was sold to Bank of America. The U.S. Department of Justice sued Bank of…
Hindenburg Omen
The "Hindenburg Omen" is named after the Hindenburg passenger airship that burst into flames in 1937, killing 36 people. Jim Miekka, a blind mathematician and writer for the Sudbury Bull…