upgrade A positive change in ratings for a security. Two common examples are an analyst's upgrading a stock (such as from "sell" to "buy") and a credit bureau's upgrading of a bond.
uptick A security transaction made at a higher price than the previous transaction in the security.
uptick rule The SEC regulation that states that no short sale may be executed at a price below the price of the last sale. Also known as the plus-tick rule.
V
volatility A term that refers to the range of prices for the market or a security in a given time period. A highly volatile market or security has a wide range in daily prices, whereas a low volatility market or security has a narrow range of daily prices.
volume The number of shares traded during a given period, either for a security or for the entire exchange. Also called trading volume.
W
Wall Street The name for the financial district in New York City where the NYSE, AMEX, and many banks and brokerage firms are located. Sometimes used to refer to the investment community in general. Also called the Street.
