What Is a Money Order? A money order is a certificate, usually issued by a government or banking institution, that allows the stated payee to receive cash on demand. A money order functions much like a check, in that the person who purchased the money order may stop payment. Money orders are readily accepted and
A money purchase plan is an employee retirement benefit plan that resembles a corporate profit-sharing program. An employer deposits a percentage of a participating employee’s salary in the account every year, but the employee is not permitted to contribute to the fund. However, they can choose how to invest the money based on options offered
What Is the Money-Weighted Rate of Return? The money-weighted rate of return (MWRR) is a measure of the performance of an investment. The MWRR is calculated by finding the rate of return that will set the present values (PV) of all cash flows equal to the value of the initial investment. The MWRR is equivalent
What Is Money Zero Maturity? Money of zero maturity (MZM), which represents all money that is readily available, is a measure of the liquid money supply within an economy. It includes money as cash in hand or money in a checking account, for example. Money in a bank CD would not be counted, however, because it
What Is Monoline? Monoline is when a firm or individual specializes in a single line or discipline of the financial services business. It is often used to describe a company operating in only one industry segment, product, or service. Common monoline examples would include companies that only deal with credit cards, mortgages, or whole life
What Is a Monoline Insurance Company? A monoline insurance company is an insurance company that provides guarantees to debt issuers, often in the form of credit wraps that enhance the credit of the issuer. These insurance companies first began providing wraps for municipal bond issues, but now provide credit enhancement for other types of bonds
What Is a Monopolist? A monopolist is an individual, group, or company that controls all of the market for a particular good or service. A monopolist probably also believes in policies that favor monopolies since it gives them greater power. A monopolist has little incentive to improve their product because customers have no alternatives. Instead, their
What Is Monopolistic Competition? Monopolistic competition exists when many companies offer competing products or services that are similar, but not perfect, substitutes. The barriers to entry in a monopolistic competitive industry are low, and the decisions of any one firm do not directly affect its competitors. The competing companies differentiate themselves based on pricing and
What Is a Monopoly? A monopoly is a market structure where a single seller or producer assumes a dominant position in an industry or a sector. Monopolies are discouraged in free-market economies as they stifle competition and limit substitutes for consumers. In the United States, antitrust legislation is in place to restrict monopolies, ensuring that
What Is a Monopolistic Market? A monopolistic market is a theoretical condition that describes a market where only one company may offer products and services to the public. A monopolistic market is the opposite of a perfectly competitive market, in which an infinite number of firms operate. In a purely monopolistic model, the monopoly firm
