balanced budget: financial plan in which expenses
exactly equal income.
bandwagon advertising: an appeal that suggests
everybody is using a particular product.
bank: financial institution that accepts demand deposits
and makes commercial loans.
bank charter: official government document allowing
the establishment of a bank.
bankruptcy: a word you don't want to hear if a company
or person owes you a lotof money. The person or company is
considered bankrupt if they're unable to pay their debts. The
U.S. Bankruptcy Court tries to sort out the financial troubles
and get creditors paid. Companies filing for protection under
Chapter 7 of the bankruptcy code are shut down and their
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assets handed over to the creditors. Under Chapter 11,
companies try to rework their debts and stay in business
barter: the exchange of one good or service for another,
base year: the reference year, with a value of 100, used
in the construction of index numbers.
bears: speculators who anticipate a decline in the
economy.