K-Percent Rule

A monetary policy rule adjusting money supply by a fixed percentage annually.

K-Ratio

A performance metric assessing risk-adjusted returns, emphasizing consistency.

Kagi Chart

A technical chart using vertical lines to show price trends, ignoring time.

Kairi Relative Index

A technical indicator measuring price deviation from a moving average, signaling overbought/oversold conditions.

Kaizen

Continuous improvement philosophy, used in financial operations to boost efficiency.

Kamikaze Defense

A risky takeover defense, like asset sales, harming the target company’s value.

Kanban

A lean inventory system using visual signals to manage production, reducing costs.

Kangaroo Bond

A bond issued in Australia by a foreign entity, denominated in AUD.

Kangaroos

Slang for Australian stocks or the AUD in forex markets.

Kappa

An option’s sensitivity to changes in implied volatility, also called vega.

Karl Marx

Economist whose theories on capitalism and labor influenced economic policy debates.

Katie Couric Clause

A contract clause allowing flexibility in media or executive compensation, named after the journalist.

Kazakhstan National Fund

Sovereign wealth fund managing Kazakhstan’s oil revenues for economic stability.

KBW Bank Index

An index tracking U.S. bank stocks, used as a financial sector benchmark.

Keep and Pay

Insurance practice retaining a policy while paying claims, managing risk exposure.

Keepwell Agreement

A parent company’s commitment to support a subsidiary’s financial obligations.

Keiretsu

Japanese business networks with interlinked firms, impacting corporate finance.

Kelley School of Business

Indiana University’s business school, known for finance and accounting programs.

Kellogg School of Management

Northwestern’s business school, influential in finance and leadership education.

Kelly Criterion

A formula optimizing bet or investment size to maximize long-term growth.

Keltner Channel

A volatility-based technical indicator using bands to identify price trends.

Kenneth Arrow

Economist known for Arrow’s Impossibility Theorem, impacting financial decision models.

Kenneth I. Chenault

Former AmEx CEO, influential in financial services and corporate strategy.

Kenney Rule

An insurance guideline suggesting premium-to-surplus ratios for financial stability.

Keogh Plan

A retirement plan for self-employed individuals, offering tax-deferred savings.

KES (Kenyan Shilling)

Kenya’s currency, used in its emerging market financial transactions.

Key Currency

A major currency, like USD or EUR, widely used in global trade.

Key Employee

A critical worker whose loss impacts a firm, often insured or incentivized.

Key Money

A payment for securing a lease, common in commercial real estate.

Key Performance Indicators (KPI)

Metrics like ROI or revenue growth tracking financial or operational success.

Key Person Insurance

Insurance covering losses from a key employee’s death or disability.

Key Rate

Specific interest rates, like LIBOR, influencing financial contracts or markets.

Key Rate Duration

A measure of a bond’s sensitivity to changes in specific yield curve points.

Key Ratio

Critical financial ratios, like debt-to-equity, assessing company performance.

Keynesian Economics

Theory advocating government intervention to manage demand and stabilize economies.

Keynesian Put

Perceived government or central bank support to prevent economic downturns.

Keystone XL Pipeline

A proposed oil pipeline, impacting energy markets and investment debates.

Kickback

An illegal payment for favorable treatment, like in financial contracts.

Kicker

An added incentive, like equity or warrants, enhancing a financial deal’s appeal.

Kicker Pattern

A candlestick pattern signaling a trend reversal, used in technical analysis.

Kicking The Tires

Informal due diligence, like reviewing a company before investing.

Kiddie Tax

U.S. tax on children’s unearned income, taxed at parents’ rates to prevent tax avoidance.

Kidnap Insurance

Coverage for ransom or related costs in kidnapping cases, used by executives or firms.

Kids In Parents' Pockets Eroding Retirement Savings (KIPPERS)

Adult children living with parents, straining parental retirement funds.

Kijun Line (Base Line)

A 26-period moving average in Ichimoku Cloud, signaling medium-term trends.

Kijun-Sen (Base Line)

Synonym for Kijun Line, used in Ichimoku technical analysis.

Kill

Canceling a trade order before execution, used in trading platforms.

Killer Application

A highly successful product driving widespread adoption, like fintech apps.

Killer Bees

Advisors or tactics used to fend off hostile takeovers, like legal defenses.

Kimchi Premium

Higher cryptocurrency prices in South Korea due to high demand and regulations.

Kin

Relatives, relevant for inheritance, tax, or insurance beneficiary rules.

Kiosk

A self-service terminal, like ATMs, used in banking or financial transactions.

Kiting

Illegally inflating account balances by exploiting check clearing times.

Kiwi

Slang for New Zealand dollar (NZD) or New Zealand stocks in forex.

Kiwi Bond

New Zealand government bonds, low-risk investments for retail investors.

Klinger Oscillator

A volume-based technical indicator predicting price reversals or trends.

KMF

Comorian Franc, currency of Comoros, used in its financial system.

Knock-In Option

An option activated only if the underlying asset hits a specific price.

Knock-Out Option

An option that expires worthless if the underlying asset hits a set price.

Know Sure Thing (KST)

A momentum oscillator combining timeframes to signal market trends.

Know Your Client (KYC)

Regulatory process verifying client identity to prevent fraud or money laundering.

Knowledge Capital

Intangible assets like expertise or data, driving financial innovation or value.

Knowledge Economy

An economy driven by information and skills, like tech or financial services.

Knowledge Engineering

Developing systems to mimic human expertise, used in financial AI tools.

Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO)

Outsourcing high-skill tasks, like financial analysis, to specialized firms.

Knuckle-Buster

Slang for manual credit card imprinters, now largely obsolete.

KOF Economic Barometer

A Swiss indicator predicting economic trends using business and consumer data.

Kondratieff Wave

Long-term economic cycles (~50 years) driven by technological innovation.

Kondratiev Wave

Synonym for Kondratieff Wave, explaining economic booms and busts.

Korea Investment Corporation

South Korea’s sovereign wealth fund, investing globally for long-term returns.

Korea Stock Exchange (KSC)

South Korea’s main stock exchange, trading KOSPI and other securities.

Korean Composite Stock Price Indexes (KOSPI)

South Korea’s benchmark stock index, tracking major companies like Samsung.

Krugerrands

South African gold coins, popular as an investment or inflation hedge.

KSOP

A retirement plan combining ESOP and 401(k), offering stock and savings benefits.

Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLS)

Malaysia’s main stock exchange, now Bursa Malaysia, trading equities and derivatives.

Kurtosis

A statistical measure of data distribution tails, used in financial risk analysis.

Kuwait Investment Authority

Kuwait’s sovereign wealth fund, managing oil revenues for economic stability.

Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD)

Kuwait’s currency, one of the highest-valued globally, tied to its oil economy.

KYD (Cayman Islands Dollar)

Cayman Islands’ currency, used in its financial hub economy.

Kyoto Protocol

A 1997 treaty reducing greenhouse gas emissions, impacting green investments.