Business english

Bullish

A stock market condition characterized by rising share prices.

Bearish

A stock market condition characterized by falling share prices.

Fed

Stands for Federal Reserve, which is the central bank of the United States.

Interest rate

A percentage that shows how much money you pay to borrow or how much you earn from saving.

Interest rate cut

When a central bank lowers its benchmark interest rate to make borrowing cheaper.

Shares

Ownership units in a company; also known as stocks.

IPO

Initial Public Offering; the process by which a private company offers its shares to the public for the first time.

CEO

Chief Executive Officer; the highest-ranking executive in a company.

Inflation

The rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services rises.

Unicorn

A startup company that is valued at $1 billion or more.

Debt

The sum of money that is borrowed and is to be returned along with interest.

Debt recovery

The process of making people or companies pay the money they owe.

Departments

Sections of a university that teach specific subjects.

Faculty

The teaching staff at a university who educate students and conduct research.

ETCS

European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System; a standard system used in European higher education.

Diploma Supplement

An official document providing detailed information about a student's qualifications.

Mobility

The ability of students to move between different educational institutions to pursue their studies.

Employability

The skills and qualities that make a person attractive to potential employers.

Competitiveness

How well someone or something can compete with others.

Course

A subject offered at a university or college.

Syllabus

A document outlining the contents and structure of a course.

Lecturer

An instructor or teacher at a university.

Department of Accounting

A section of a university dedicated to teaching accounting.

Curriculum

The formal courses of study offered by a school or university.

Seminar paper

A research paper typically written for a seminar course.

Master's degree

An advanced academic degree awarded after a bachelor's degree.

Dean

The head of a department or college within a university.

Submit a paper

To hand in an academic paper for evaluation.

Faculty

Teaching staff at a university.

Apply for an exam

To register or enroll in an exam.

PhD

A Doctor of Philosophy degree, the highest academic degree.

Class attendance

The act of being present during scheduled classes.

Freshman

A student in their first year of college or university.

Undergraduate program

A program of study leading to a bachelor's degree.

Full-time student

A student enrolled in a program with a full course load.

Fail an exam

To not achieve a passing score on an examination.

Graduate program

A program of study leading to a master's or doctoral degree.

Final exam

The last examination in a course, often comprehensive.

Graduate with a major in

To complete a degree specializing in a specific subject.

Enroll on a course

To officially register for a course.

Student Administration Office

The office that manages student records and administrative tasks.

Head of Department

The academic leader of a specific department within a university.

Part-time student

A student who is enrolled in fewer courses than a full-time student.

Postgraduate program

A program of study pursued after obtaining a bachelor's degree.

Graduate in economics

To complete a degree specializing in economics.

Major

The primary focus or area of study for a degree.

Department

A division within a university focused on a particular discipline.

Core course

A required course that all students in a program must take.

Non-core course

An elective course that students can choose to take.

Preliminary exam

A test given midway through a semester.

Bachelor's degree

An undergraduate degree typically requiring 3 or 4 years of study.

Master's degree

An advanced academic degree requiring a minimum of 5 years of study.

Doctor's degree

An advanced academic degree, also known as a PhD, requiring a minimum of 8 years of study.

Economic

Relating to the economy, finances, or production and consumption systems.

Economize

To reduce spending or save money.

Economical

Efficient in using resources, such as money or energy.

Economics

The study of resource production, distribution, and consumption in societies.

Economist

A person who studies or has expertise in economics.

Economy

The system of production, trade, and consumption of goods and services.

Consumer goods

Products made for consumers to buy and use.

Gravitate

To be naturally attracted to something.

Labour costs

Expenses a business pays for employee work, including wages and benefits.

Rust-belt

An area in the U.S. known for declining heavy industries.

Rivals

Competitors that vie for the same customers.

Retrain

To teach someone new skills for a different job.

Outsourcing

Hiring another company to handle parts of a business task to save costs.

Relocate

To move a business to a new location.

Counterpart

A person or thing with a similar role in a different context.

A fraction of salary

A small part or portion of one’s income.

Privatization

The process of transferring ownership of a public service to private entities.

Taxpayer

People or businesses that pay taxes to the government.

Income tax

The money paid to the government based on income earned.

Declare tax

To report income and taxes owed to the government.

File a tax return

To submit a report detailing income and tax owed to the government.

Tax authorities

Government agencies responsible for tax collection.

Progressive tax

A tax system where higher earners pay a larger percentage of their income.

Regressive tax

A tax system where low-income earners pay a larger percentage of their income.

Proportional tax

A tax where everyone pays the same percentage regardless of income.

Direct tax

A tax paid directly to the government.

Indirect tax

A tax on goods or services paid at the time of purchase.

Value-added tax

A type of indirect tax added to the price of goods.

Personal income tax

Tax on income earned by individuals.

Corporate income tax

Tax on corporate profits.

Excise taxes

Taxes on specific goods, such as alcohol and tobacco.

Inheritance tax

Tax on assets inherited by an individual.

Transfer tax

Tax applied to the transfer of property or assets.

Social security contributions

Payments made to support social insurance programs.