Wall of Worry:

A phrase used to describe a bullish market trend occurring in the face of negative uncertainties.

Wall Street:

1. A street in lower Manhattan that is the original home of the New York Stock Exchange. The street is the historic headquarters of the largest U.S. brokerages and investment banks. Many have since relocated to other areas of Manhattan and the United States. Wall Street was named after the wooden wall Dutch colonists built in this area in 1653 to defend themselves from the British and Native Americans.

2. The collective name for the financial and investment community, which includes stock exchanges and large banks, brokerages, securities and underwriting firms, and big businesses. Some people believe that the interests of these big firms contrast those of smaller businesses, or “Main Street”.

Whisper Stock:

Shares in a company that is rumored to be the target of a takeover offer. The source of whisper stocks could be anybody from an investment banker involved in a deal, to the spouse of an executive privy to the information.

Windfall Shares:

Shares given for free to insiders of a society, a firm or a company when that same society, firm or company is undergoing the process of demutualization. Windfall shares are often given to promote goodwill and to encourage the demutualization process.