300 English and Economics Terms Starting with the Letter A
1. Abandonment: The act of giving up or leaving something behind, often in a business context where a project or venture is no longer viable. 2. Accrual: In accounting, the process of accumulating earnings over time, which are recorded when they are earned, regardless of when the payment is actually received. 3. Ad Valorem Tax: A tax based on the value of a transaction or a property, typically calculated as a percentage of the value. 4. Aggregate Demand: The total demand for goods and services within an economy at a given overall price level and in a given time period, composed of consumption, investment, government spending, and net exports. 5. Aggregate Supply: The total supply of goods and services that firms in a national economy plan on selling during a specific time period, which can be influenced by production costs and overall demand. 6. Amortization: The process of gradually paying off a debt over time through regular payments that cover both interest and principal. 7. Annuity: A series of equal payments made at regular intervals, often used for investments or retirement income. 8. Anti-Trust Laws: Regulations designed to promote competition and prevent monopolies and anti-competitive practices in the market. 9. Appreciation: An increase in the value of an asset over time, commonly used to describe the rise in value of currencies or real estate. 10. Arbitrage: The practice of taking advantage of a price difference between two or more markets, striking a transaction that profits from the imbalance, often used in currency and commodity markets. 11. Asset Management: The process of managing financial assets, such as investments, to maximize returns while minimizing risk. 12. Auditing: The process of examining financial statements and records to ensure accuracy and compliance with accounting standards and regulations. 13. Automatic Stabilizers: Government policies and programs, like unemployment benefits and progressive taxation, that automatically adjust to counteract economic fluctuations without additional legislative action. 14. Auction: A process of buying and selling goods or services by offering bids, with the price determined by the highest bid that is accepted. 15. Augmented Income: Additional income earned through investments or secondary sources, supplementing primary income from employment. 16. Autonomous Spending: Spending that does not change with income levels, such as essential expenditures like rent and utilities. 17. Average Cost: The total cost of goods available for sale during a given period divided by the number of units available for sale, used to calculate the cost of goods sold. 18. Balance of Payments: A record of all transactions made between one particular country and all other countries during a specified period of time, comparing the amount of money entering and leaving the country. 19. Bankruptcy: A legal process involving a person or business that is unable to repay their outstanding debts, often resulting in the restructuring or liquidation of assets. 20. Barriers to Entry: Factors that make it difficult for new competitors to enter a market, such as high startup costs, exclusive rights, and strong brand loyalty. 21. Bilateral Trade: Trade between two countries, involving the exchange of goods and services. 22. Bonds: Debt securities issued by entities such as governments or corporations to raise capital, with a specified interest rate and maturity date. 23. Borrowing Capacity: The maximum amount of debt that an individual or business can take on, based on their income, assets, and creditworthiness. 24. Brackets: Ranges of income within a tax system that are subject to different tax rates, commonly used in progressive taxation systems. 25. Breach of Contract: The violation of any of the terms of a contract by one or both parties, potentially leading to legal action. 26. Bull Market: A market characterized by rising prices and general optimism, often driven by economic growth and positive investor sentiment. 27. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS): A unit of the U.S. Department of Labor that collects, analyzes, and disseminates essential economic information to support public and private decision-making. 28. Capital Gains Tax: A tax on the profit realized from the sale of assets or investments, such as stocks, bonds, or real estate. 29. Capitalism: An economic system based on private ownership of the means of production and operated for profit, characterized by competition, capital accumulation, and wage labor. 30. Cash Flow: The total amount of money being transferred into and out of a business, especially as affecting liquidity. 31. Central Bank: An institution that manages a state's currency, money supply, and interest rates, often serving as the principal monetary authority. 32. Consumer Confidence Index: A measure of how optimistic consumers are about the overall state of the economy and their personal financial situation. 33. Consumer Price Index (CPI):