Optimism Index
A measure of economic confidence based on survey responses about economic and personal financial conditions.
Optimization
In economics, the choice from all possible uses of resources of that which gives the best result.
Option
A contract permitting the holder the right, but not the obligation, to trade a specific asset at a predetermined price on or before a future date.
Order Book
The value of orders received but not yet carried out by firms, usually in construction and engineering sectors.
Order of Integration
The minimum number of times it is necessary to difference a non-stationary time series to produce a stationary series.
Order-Driven Market
An examination of the order-driven market system where intermediaries match buy and sell orders.
Ordinal Utility
A detailed examination of ordinal utility, meaning and its representation in economic theory.
Ordinary Least Squares
A method of estimation of the coefficients in a linear regression by minimizing the sum of squared residuals.
Ordinary Share
The UK term for a share in the equity of a company, equivalent to common stock in the US.
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development - Definition and Meaning
The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organization established to aid member states in developing economic and social policies that promote sustained economic growth with financial stability.