What Is a Balloon Payment? A balloon payment is the final amount due on a loan that is structured as a series of small monthly payments followed by a single much larger sum at the end of the loan period. The early payments may be all or almost all payments of interest owed on the
What Is a Ballpark Figure? A ballpark figure is a rough numerical estimate or approximation of the value of something that is otherwise unknown. Ballpark figures are commonly used by accountants, salespersons, and other professionals to estimate current or future results. A stockbroker could use a ballpark figure to estimate how much money a client
What Is the Baltic Dry Index (BDI)? The Baltic Dry Index (BDI) is a shipping and trade index created by the London-based Baltic Exchange. It measures changes in the cost of transporting various raw materials, such as coal and steel. Members of the exchange directly contact shipping brokers to assess price levels for given shipping
What Was Bananacoin (BCO)? Bananacoin (BCO) was an Ethereum token offered for sale via an initial coin offering (ICO) in 2017. The project was led by a team of Russian entrepreneurs who wanted to raise funds to expand an environmentally friendly plantation in Vientiane province, Laos. The developers set out to use the capabilities of
What Is Bancor? Bancor is a blockchain protocol that allows users to convert different virtual currency tokens directly and instantly instead of exchanging them on cryptocurrency exchanges like Coinbase. BNT is the Bancor Network Token, which is the primary token used within the Bancor network. As of September 2021, BNT is the 98th most valuable
What Is the Bandwagon Effect? The bandwagon effect is a psychological phenomenon in which people do something primarily because other people are doing it, regardless of their own beliefs, which they may ignore or override. This tendency of people to align their beliefs and behaviors with those of a group is also called a herd
What Is Bandwidth? Bandwidth is the data transfer capacity of a network in bits per second (Bps). The term may also be used colloquially to indicate a person’s capacity for tasks or deep thoughts at a point in time. Key Takeaways Bandwidth is a measure of how much information a network can transfer.The volume of
What Is a Bank? A bank is a financial institution that is licensed to accept checking and savings deposits and make loans. Banks also provide related services such as individual retirement accounts (IRAs), certificates of deposit (CDs), currency exchange, and safe deposit boxes. There are several types of banks including retail banks, commercial or corporate
What Is the Bank Bill Swap Bid Rate (BBSY)? The Bank Bill Swap Bid Rate (BBSY) is an Australian benchmark interest rate quoted and dispersed by the data provider Thompson Reuters Information Service. The BBSY is typically used by financial institutions or corporations engaging in interest rate swaps and related transactions. Key Takeaways BBSY, or
What Is a Bank Confirmation Letter (BCL)? A bank confirmation letter (BCL) is a letter from a bank or financial institution confirming the existence of a loan or a line of credit that has been extended to a borrower. The letter officially vouches for the fact that the borrower—typically an individual, company, or organization—is eligible to
