How to talk about money when you work in finance

When you work in finance, you are steeped in money. You almost certainly earn more money than the average person (unless maybe they work in the Swiss pharmaceutical sector) and you likely think of transactions denominated in fiat currencies throughout your day. In the same way that Eskimos have many words for snow, finance professionals therefore have many words for money and a retinue of other words for their daily activities.

We have listed some of the popular finance vernacular below. Some words are ambiguous. Don't get confused.

1. Bar

Banker meaning: In banking terms a bar is another word for $2m. Five bars is a euphemism for $10m, therefore.

Not to be confused with:  A place purveying alcohol or a rectangular prism.

2. Buck

Banker meaning: In banking terms, a buck is $1m. Ten bucks a euphemism for $10m.

Not to be confused with: A male deer or rabbit. $1.

3. Execution

Banker meaning: The work involved in implementing a trade or M&A deal.

Not to be confused with: Killing someone.

4. Expectation management and expectations managed 

Banker meaning: Being informed, subtly or otherwise, that you won't be paid.

Not to be confused with: Being informed, subtly or otherwise, that your Christmas present will come from eBay.

5. Flattener

Banker meaning: A strange environment where long term interest rates are falling at a faster rate than short term interest rates so that the yield curve gets flatter.

Not to be confused with: A close encounter with someone whose eaten a lot over Thanksgiving.

6. Position

Banker meaning: A stock or bond that you've bought or sold short in the hope of making some money.

Not to be confused with: A particular bodily arrangement. The antecedent of an argument.

7. Prop 

Banker meaning: Proprietary trading.

Not to be confused with: A three dimensional item used to illustrate a point or set the scene in a play or movie.

8. Unwind

Banker meaning: Selling your positions.

Not to be confused with: Chilling out after over-eating.

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