War Street Journal (Wall Street Journal nickname)
The Wall Street Journal has been a financial newspaper since its founding in 1889. Writers at the libertarian website, LewRockwell.com, have accused the Journal of having a neoconservative foreign…
Wells Fargone (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…
Wells Fiasco (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…
Whackage
Barry Ritholtz's financial blog, The Big Picture, has been using the term "whackage" (whack + package/wreckage) since at least February 2006. A typical Friday blog headline is…
Whisper Number
A "whisper number" is an unofficial earnings estimate -- a rumor or "whispered number" among analysts. A company might project an official earnings estimate, but analysts often…
White Knight
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: White knight (business)In business, a white knight, or "friendly investor" may be a corporation, or a person that intends to help another firm. There…
White Money
"White money" is legitimately earned (the opposite of "black money") and fully reported for tax purposes. "White money" has been cited in print since at least 2009,…
White Squire
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: White knight (business)In business, a white knight, or "friendly investor" may be a corporation, or a person that intends to help another firm. There…
Whitemail
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: WhitemailWhitemail, coined as an opposite to blackmail, has several meanings explained below. EconomicsIn economics, whitemail is an anti-takeover arrangement…
Widow-and-Orphan Stock (Widows’-and-Orphans’ Stock)
A "widow-and-orphan stock" (or "widows'-and-orphans' stock") is a well-known, low-risk stock that pays high dividends. Widows and orphans have long been thought to be…
Wildcat Bank (Wildcat Money)
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wildcat banking refers to the unusual practices of banks chartered under state law during the periods of non-federally regulated state banking between 1816 and 1863 in the…
Window Dressing
Financial "window dressing" occurs when money managers try to improve their performance at the end of a quarter or year, so that financial statements look better. Some "window…
Wire House (Wirehouse)
A "wire house" (or "wirehouse") is a brokerage house that has a communication network; originally, a "wire house" meant a brokerage house with a telegraph line or a…
Witch of Wall Street
The moniker "Witch of Wall Street" is usually associated with Hetty Green (1834-1916), who was one of the world's richest women during his lifetime. Many stories were written about…
Wolf of Wall Street
Wall Street has had bulls, bears, lambs and other animals. Several people have been called a "wolf of Wall Street." "As the wolf of Wall street has a leaning toward lambs with mint…
Womenomics (women + economics)
"Womenomics" (women + economic) is a term to describe the influence of women on the economy. "Womenomics" has been cited in print since at least 1981 and 1983, when the term was…
Worst Boston (First Boston nickname)
First Boston was a New York City-based investment bank, founded in 1932. First Boston was acquired by Credit Suisse in 1990; First Boston was called "CS First Boston" from 1993 until…
Wreckovery (wreck + economic recovery)
"Wreckovery (wreck + recovery) has been used since the 1990s to mean the "recovery" of "shipwrecks." In 2009, the U.S. Congress passed the American Recovery and…
Wunch of Bankers
The collective noun for a group of bankers is sometimes said to be "a wunch of bankers" -- a spoonerism for "a bunch of wankers." The "wunch of bankers" joke has been…
Yankee Bond
Entry in progress -- B.P. Wikipedia: Bond (finance)In finance, a bond is a debt security, in which the authorized issuer owes the holders a debt and, depending on the terms of the bond, is obliged…