Economics

Base Period - Definition and Meaning
The period whose data are identified with an index of 100 (or sometimes 1) for the construction of an index number.
basis point
Measurement unit for changes or differences in interest rates, equal to 1 per cent of 1 percentage point.
Batch Production
A method of production where output emerges in discrete quantities, ensuring uniform pattern and quality for specific quantities, but variable characteristics across different orders.
Battle of the Sexes
A game theory concept illustrating gains from coordination and the difficulties in achieving it
Bayesian Econometrics
An approach to estimation and inference in econometrics using probability distributions to express uncertainty about parameters.
Bayesian Inference
An approach to hypothesis testing that assesses which of two hypotheses, the null (H0) or the alternative (H1), is more likely to be correct, considering prior knowledge.
Bear Market
A stock market in which prices are expected to fall.
Before-tax Income
The income of an individual or company before deduction of direct taxes.
Below-the-Line
Items following but not part of the profit-and-loss accounts of firms or the income sections of national income accounts.
Beta Coefficient
Definition and meaning of the Beta Coefficient in economics and finance.
Beta Stocks
Shares in the second rank for frequency of trading on a stock exchange
between-groups estimator
An estimator of the parameters in a linear regression model with panel data, using the time averages of the data for each cross-section unit.
Bid–Ask Spread
Definition and meaning of bid–ask spread in financial markets, detailing its significance and implications.
Big Four
A term used to describe either the four largest UK 'high street' banks or the four largest accounting firms.
Big Mac Index
Big Mac Index, a measure introduced by The Economist in 1986, compares exchange rates to the cost of a Big Mac in different countries, illustrating purchasing power parity theory.
Bilateral Monopoly
A market situation wherein a single buyer faces a single seller in negotiations for price and quantity.
Bilateral Trade
A situation where trade between two countries must balance or be financed directly between them.
Bill
Definition and meaning of a bill as a short-dated security maturing in under a year
Biodiversity Index
A comprehensive guide to understanding the biodiversity index, its significance, and its application in economics.
Black Market
A comprehensive analysis of the black market, including its definition, historical context, and major analytical frameworks in economics.
Black Swan
A rare, unforeseen event with significant impact, as articulated by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.
Blue Book
A UK government publication providing data on national income and expenditure.
bond-rating agency
An overview of bond-rating agencies, their definitions, functions, and examples.
Bonus
A payment to a firm’s employees additional to their normal pay, often linked to performance.
Borrowing
The act of incurring debts to finance spending, applicable to individuals, firms, and governments.
Bottom Line
The profit or loss on an activity, typically shown at the foot of financial statements.
Boycott
An examination of the term 'boycott' in economic contexts, its origins, applications, and significance
BP Curve
A curve depicting balance of payments equilibrium in the IS–LM model.
Brain Drain
A pejorative description of the tendency for talented individuals to migrate from poorer countries to richer countries in search of better employment opportunities and living standards.
Brand
A term used to identify the maker or distributor of a good, with historical roots and significant economic implications.
Break-up Value
The sum a business could realize by ceasing operation entirely and selling off its assets.
Brokerage
The fee charged by a broker for facilitating a transaction between a buyer and a seller.
Brownian Motion
An examination of Brownian motion, its definition, historical context, and significance in various fields of economics.
Budget Line
A comprehensive look at the concept of the budget line in economics, its implications, and its role in consumer theory.
budget surplus
The excess of a government’s total income over its expenditure.
Buffer Stock
A detailed explanation of buffer stock, its functioning, and its implications on price stabilization.
Building and Loan Association
A US cooperative institution providing mortgage finance for homeowners, equivalent to a UK building society.
Building Society
A comprehensive entry on building societies in the UK, focusing on their role in the financial system, historical development, and evolution.
Built-in Stabilizers
Features of the economy that limit economic fluctuations through routine behaviour, such as tax revenues and unemployment benefits.
Bull Market
A comprehensive overview of the bull market, including its definition and economic implications.
Bundle of Goods
A comprehensive look at the term 'bundle of goods,' its implications in economics, and how it is applied in constructing price indices.
Bundling
The marketing of related products as a single unit with a price typically less than the sum of the prices of the separate items.
Business - Definition and Meaning
An exploration of the term 'business' encompassing all forms of industrial and commercial profit-seeking activity, including its cycle, lobby, and broader economic significance.
Business Rate
A UK tax on business premises used to finance local authorities, now levied at a uniform national rate.
Buyer
Definition and meaning of the term 'buyer' within an economic context.
Buyer's Market - Definition and Meaning
A comprehensive look at the term 'buyer's market' in economics, its implications, and its contextual significance.
By-Product - Definition and Meaning
A comprehensive overview of the term 'by-product' in the context of economics, detailing its definition, relevance, and implications.
bygones
Past events which play no part in rational present decision-making in the context of economics.
Calibration
Identification of the numerical values of the parameters in an economic model by various informed methods.
Call Money
Call money refers to money lent in the London money market that is repayable at very short notice.
Capacity
The maximum output of goods and services a firm or an economy is capable of producing.
Capacity Utilization
An overview of the term capacity utilization, its definition, historical context, and analytical frameworks.
Capital Account
A record of transactions which do not involve income or expenditure, but change the form in which assets are held
Capital Appreciation
An increase in the prices of the assets owned by an enterprise.
Capital Deepening
An increase in capital intensity in production, characterized by capital input growing faster than labor input.
Capital Expenditure
A comprehensive exploration of capital expenditure in economics, including its definition, historical context, and various analytical frameworks.
Capital Flight
A comprehensive overview and analysis of large-scale and sudden movements of capital from a country.
Capital Formation
Capital formation refers to the process of adding to the stock of real productive equipment by constructing it or purchasing it from outside suppliers.
Capital Gains Tax
A tax on increases in the value of assets, typically collected upon the realization of gains through sale or bequest.
Capital Gains Tax (CGT)
Definition and analysis of Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and its impact on economic activities.
Capital Goods
Goods intended for use in the production of other goods or services.
Capital Inflow
An introduction to capital inflow, its meanings, and its relation to capital movements within the context of economics.
Capital Issues
Capital issues: The primary method through which new shares are created to fund companies.
Capital Levy
An in-depth look at the definition, context, and implications of capital levy commonly referred to as capital tax.
Capital Loss: Definition and Meaning
An economics term that refers to a fall in the price of an asset resulting in its sale for less than the purchase price.
Capital Stock
The total value of the physical capital of an enterprise or country, including inventories and fixed equipment, measured in various ways.
Capital Tax
A tax on the value of capital owned by individuals or businesses.
Capital Transfer Tax (CTT)
An examination of the Capital Transfer Tax, its definition, history, and analytical frameworks.
Capital Transfers
An exploration of capital transfers: the movement of assets as bequests or gifts, mainly in the context of tax implications.
Capital–Labour Ratio
The ratio of capital to labour employed in a process, a firm, or an industry.
Capital–Output Ratio
Exploration of the capital–output ratio, its definition, implications, and applications in economic analyses.
CAPM - Definition and Meaning
Comprehensive entry defining the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) in financial economics.
Carbon Sequestration
Reduction of the amount of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere either by capturing them at source or by creating and improving carbon sinks.
Cardinal Utility
A comprehensive analysis of the concept of cardinal utility in economics, highlighting its distinctive features and significance compared to ordinal utility.
Cartel
A formal or informal agreement among a number of firms in an industry to restrict competition.
Cascade Tax
Definition and comprehensive analysis of the term 'Cascade Tax'
Cash
The literal and extended meaning of cash in economics.
Cash Discount
Understanding Cash Discounts, their purpose and implications on economic transactions.
Cash Flow
Cash flow refers to the amount of cash received less the amount spent by a business or a household for a given accounting period.
Categorical Variable - Definition and Meaning
A thorough exploration of the concept of a categorical variable in economics, including its definition, historical context, and analytical frameworks.
Census of Production
A systematic survey of productive enterprises conducted by an official body to collect detailed industrial data.
Central Bank - Definition and Meaning
A comprehensive explanation of what constitutes a central bank, its role, and its importance in monetary policy.
Central Bank Independence
A comprehensive overview of central bank independence, exploring its significance, historical context, definitions, major analytical frameworks, comparative analysis, and case studies in economics.
Central Planning
An examination of central planning and its implications in economic systems.
Central Statistical Office
The UK government department responsible for publishing major UK statistical sources until its merger in 1996.
Chain Price Index
An in-depth exploration of the Chain Price Index and its relevance in economic analysis.
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The UK's chief finance minister responsible for fiscal policy, budget presentation, and economic oversight.
Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
Understanding Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Law: Mechanisms and Implications