Who Is the Oracle of Omaha? The Oracle of Omaha is a nickname for Warren Buffett, who is arguably one of the greatest investors of all time. Buffett is the chair and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, a company that he became the controlling shareholder of in the mid-1960s. He is called the Oracle of Omaha because
What is an Oral Contract? An oral contract is a type of business contract that is outlined and agreed to via spoken communication, but not written down. Although it can be difficult to prove the terms of an oral contract in the event of a breach, this type of contract is legally binding. Oral contracts
What Is an Oral Will? An oral will is a will that is made verbally to others and with the intent of ensuring that the wishes of the dying are carried out. It does not take on written form. Understanding Oral Wills Oral wills are referred to as a noncupative will or deathbed will. A
What Is an Order? An order consists of instructions to a broker or brokerage firm to purchase or sell a security on an investor’s behalf. An order is the fundamental trading unit of a securities market. Orders are typically placed over the phone or online through a trading platform, although orders may increasingly be placed
What Is an Order Paper? An order paper, or order instrument, is a negotiable instrument that is payable to a specified person or its assignee. An instrument such as an order paper is negotiable only if it is payable to the order of a specified person; meaning that it must designate an individual’s name to
What Is an Order Book? The term order book refers to an electronic list of buy and sell orders for a specific security or financial instrument organized by price level. An order book lists the number of shares being bid on or offered at each price point, or market depth. It also identifies the market participants
What Is an Order Book Official? An order book official (OBO) is the trading floor participant responsible for maintaining a list of public market or limit orders of a specific option class using the “market-marker” system of executing orders. The purpose is to maintain a fair and orderly market in the assigned options, including executing
What Is an Order Driven Market? An order-driven market is a financial market where all buyers and sellers display the prices at which they wish to buy or sell a particular security, as well as the amounts of the security desired to be bought or sold. This kind of trading environment is the opposite of
What Is an Order Imbalance? Order imbalance is a situation resulting from an excess of buy or sell orders for a specific security on a trading exchange, making it impossible to match the orders of buyers and sellers. For securities that are overseen by a market maker or specialist, shares may be brought in from
What Is an Orderly Market? An orderly market is any market in which supply and demand are reasonably equal. An orderly market is said to be in a state of equilibrium. This term can also refer to a site of exchange for goods, services, or financial securities that are traded in a fair, reliable, secure
