over-the-counter stock
1
6.5
- noun
- /ˈoʊvər ðə ˈkaʊntər stɑk/
- Specialized
:
acción extrabursátil
- During the market downturn, several over-the-counter stocks became increasingly difficult to sell due to decreased demand.
- NASDAQ over-the-counter stock
- index of over-the-counter stocks
- over-the-counter stocks dropped
Examples
-
And we have the advantage in the United States of a strong, over-the-counter stock market that Mary and I referred to earlier.
Academic text (1995) -
Many investors choose to purchase over-the-counter stocks because they often have lower entry barriers compared to traditional exchanges.
-
In recent years, a few notable companies have gained popularity as over-the-counter stocks, attracting keen interest from traders.
Synonyms
A share traded directly between buyers and sellers, not on a stock exchange
Company shares not sold on a public market and often sold privately
Antonyms
How Traded
- Specialized
- Specialized
1
6.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
over-the-counter + stock
The components 'over-the-counter' plus 'stock' give a reasonable cue: a learner who knows 'over', 'the', 'counter' and 'stock' can infer trading 'across a counter' or directly rather than on an exchange. However, the precise financial/technical sense (decentralized dealer network, not exchange-listed) is domain-specific and not fully predictable from the parts for a B1 learner, so it is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Over-the-counter stock comes from the image of buying at a shop counter, where customers get things 'over the counter' directly from a seller instead of at the main market. So over-the-counter stocks are shares traded directly by dealers rather than on a big stock exchange, which is why the phrase means 'not listed on the main exchange'.