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Monday, September 22, 2008

Resources to help you cut through investment jargon

Jargon is a barrier to your effective communication with clients. But sometimes it's hard for you to think of a replacement for a term like "secular" that's convenient shorthand for communication among investment professionals.

Google definitions can help 
You can always do a Google search to define terms that may derail your client. For example, inputting "define: credit default swap" will yield some definitions that you can paraphrase for your client's benefit.

But sometimes a Google search doesn't cut the mustard. 

For example, investment strategists often talk about secular trends. But "define: secular trend" yielded no definitions when I tried it recently. And "define: secular" spoke about the term only as the opposite of "religious."

Online investment glossaries fill the gap 
Sometimes an investment glossary comes to the rescue.

Here's what Investopedia says when I input "secular." 

Sometimes it pays to go to investment glossaries.

Here are some options:
Your recommendation? 
What investment glossaries do YOU recommend?
_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success

Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.

2 comments:

  1. Here's glossary I've found useful when writing about private equity and venture capital investing:
    http://www.altassets.com/hm_glossary.php

    ReplyDelete

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