1. Investment

Putting your money somewhere so it can grow over time.

2. Return

How much money you make from an investment.

3. Risk

The chance you can lose money.

4. Stocks

Pieces of a company you can buy. If the company grows, your money grows.

5. Shares

The actual units of stock you buy. Like buying slices of a pizza.

6. Portfolio

All your investments put together in one “folder.”

7. Diversification

Not putting all your money in one place. Like “don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”

8. Bond

You loan your money to a company or government, and they pay you back later WITH interest.

9. Interest

Extra money paid to you for letting someone borrow your money.

10. Dividends

Cash payments some companies give you just for owning their stock.

11. Capital Gains

Profit you make when you sell something for more than you paid for it.

12. Loss

When you sell something for less than you paid.

13. Fund

A bunch of investments bundled together.

14. Mutual Fund

A big basket of stocks and bonds picked by professionals.

15. ETF (Exchange-Traded Fund)

A basket of investments you can buy like a stock. Usually cheaper than mutual funds.

16. Index Fund

A cheap fund that copies a whole market (like the S&P 500). Very popular and beginner-friendly.

17. S&P 500

The 500 biggest companies in the U.S. — a snapshot of the whole market.

18. Market

Where buying and selling happens (like a giant store for investments).

19. Broker

The app or company you use to buy and sell investments (Robinhood, Fidelity, etc.)

20. Bull Market

When the market is going UP and people are confident.

21. Bear Market

When the market is going DOWN and people are scared.

22. Inflation

Prices going up; your money buys less than before.

23. Compound Interest

Interest that grows on top of interest — money stacking on money.

24. Liquidity

How fast you can turn something into cash.

25. Asset

Something that has value (stocks, a house, etc.)

26. Liability

Something you owe money on.

27. Net Worth

What you own (assets) minus what you owe (liabilities).

28. Principal

The amount of money you first invest.

29. IRA

A retirement investment account.

30. Roth IRA

An account where your money grows TAX-FREE.

31. 401(k)

A retirement account through your job.

32. Employer Match

Free money your job gives you for investing in your 401(k).

33. Dividend Yield

How much a company pays you in dividends compared to its stock price.

34. Recession

When the economy slows down, people lose jobs, businesses struggle.

35. Inflation Hedge

Something that tends to hold or increase value when prices rise (like gold or real estate).

36. Real Estate Investing

Making money by owning property.

37. Cash Flow

Money that keeps coming in regularly (like rent).

38. Equity

The value you actually own after debt is subtracted.

39. Leverage

Using borrowed money to invest.

40. ROI (Return on Investment)

How much you got back compared to what you put in.