What Is a McMansion? McMansion is a slang term that describes a large, often opulent or ostentatious, mass-produced house. The name carries a somewhat critical connotation due to the notion that McMansions lack architectural uniqueness, class, or style. “McMansion” is a play on McDonald’s fast-food restaurants but is also associated with a generic, cookie-cutter, suburban
What Is the Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index (MCSI)? The Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index (MCSI) is a monthly survey of consumer confidence levels in the United States conducted by the University of Michigan. The survey is based on telephone interviews that gather information on consumer expectations for the economy. Consumer sentiment is a statistical measurement of
What Is Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&A)? Management discussion and analysis (MD&A) is a section of a public company’s annual report or quarterly filing. The MD&A addresses the company’s performance. In this section, the company’s management and executives, also known as the C-suite, present an analysis of the company’s performance with qualitative and quantitative measures.
What Is a Mean? Mean is the simple mathematical average of a set of two or more numbers. The mean for a given set of numbers can be computed in more than one way, including the arithmetic mean method, which uses the sum of the numbers in the series, and the geometric mean method, which
What Is Meander Line? Meander line refers to a survey line used for mapping purposes, commonly abutting a body of water, that changes if the waterway changes. Key Takeaways Meander line refers to a survey line used for mapping purposes, commonly abutting a body of water, that changes if the waterway changes.Meander lines differ from
What Is Mean Reversion? Mean reversion, or reversion to the mean, is a theory used in finance that suggests that asset price volatility and historical returns eventually will revert to the long-run mean or average level of the entire dataset. This mean level can appear in several contexts such as economic growth, the volatility of
What Is a Means Test? A means test is a method for determining whether someone qualifies for financial assistance to obtain a service or good, for instance, welfare payments. It looks at the means, or monetary resources, a person has available to them to pay for a particular service or good, then determines that person’s
What Is a Mean-Variance Analysis? Mean-variance analysis is the process of weighing risk, expressed as variance, against expected return. Investors use mean-variance analysis to make investment decisions. Investors weigh how much risk they are willing to take on in exchange for different levels of reward. Mean-variance analysis allows investors to find the biggest reward at a
What Is a Medallion Signature Guarantee? A medallion signature guarantee is one of several special certification stamps that guarantees a signature that authorizes a transfer of securities is authentic. Parties will generally require a medallion signature guarantee when an owner wants to sell or transfer securities—such as stocks or bonds—held in physical certificate form. If
What Is the Media Effect? The media effect describes how certain stories that the news or media publishes may influence and/or amplify current price trends in a particular asset class, sector, or overall market. If this theory holds true, after reading a headline or article, investors or borrowers tend to be influenced by headlines and
