Glossary
Acceptance
Word "accepted" written over the name of the drawee. The acceptance renders the B/E an unconditional and irrevocable obligation of the drawee to pay the sum designated on the bill on the maturity date of the B/E.
Advance against documents
A loan secured by some sort of documents entitling to title.
Advise
Banking term for different notifications.
Advised documentary credit
DC with a verification of its authenticity by a Bank. The advising bank does not assume responsibility for the payment.
Advising bank
Bank that verify that a DC has been opened and is authentic, but does not assume responsibility for payment of the DC.
All-in rate
Interest rate on a loan including all costs, whether flat or not.
Amortisation
The payment of debt in staged payments, instalments.
Arrangement fee
Fee charged to cover the overhead expenses of the financier.
Assignee
The acquirer of title or interest. See assignor.
Assignor
The one who transfers title or interest. See assignee.
At sight
A phrase indicating that a financing instrument is payable on demand and when presented.
Aval
A form guarantee of a negotiable instrument, usual in B/E arrangements. Aval gives rise to an unconditional liability for the payment of the B/E, which is independent of the possible defences that the others in the chain might have had. Refer to Geneva Convention on B/Es. Aval is unknown in most countries with Anglo-Saxon legal traditions.
Average life
Total amount of balance of loan outstanding in the end of each year divided by the total principal amount of the loan. Indicates the effective risk period for the principal amount.
B/E
Bill of Exchange.
B/L
Bill of Lading.
Back-to-back documentary credit
A term used to denote a letter of credit issued for the account of a merchant already holding another letter of credit in his favour. Used to cover the same shipment as the first letter of credit and thus to enable merchandise to be forwarded.
Bank bill
A draft or a B/E, the acceptor of which is a trust company or a bank.
Bank draft
An international transfer of funds using an instrument much like a cheque.
Bank guarantee
An undertaking by a Bank to pay the beneficiary of the guarantee if the original Obligor is in default.
Bank note
Promissory notes issued by the central bank and payable on demand.
Basis point
One hundredth of one percentage point.
Bearer
Person carrying a security of some sort.
Bearer bond
A security the ownership of which belongs to whoever has physical possession of the security.
Beneficiary
The person in favour of whom a B/E or DC or a draft is drawn.
Bill for collection
B/E sent to a bank for collection. In respect of Bills for collection the bank won't discount the bill but acts as collection agent only
Bill of exchange
An instrument of payment in international trade. An unconditional written order to pay a certain sum signed and issued by the drawee to the acceptor who after having accepted the B/E becomes obligated to pay the sum to the drawer on the defined date. Bs/E are freely negotiable instruments and can be assigned to third parties. Governed in most jurisdictions by national rules based on the Geneva Convention on bills of exchange.
Bill of lading
A negotiable marine transport document representing title to goods under the B/L.
Bill renewal
Prolonging the validity of a Bill of Exchange by postponing the expiry date.
Bridge financing
Interim financing in an export or project finance operation. Bridge financing facility is to be replaced by the final export or project financing facility later
Built-operate-transfer (BOT)
A modus operandi in projects. The host government typically grants a license to provide a certain service or enters into a purchase of service agreement for a certain time period with a project company, which then builds the necessary utilities, operates them and at the end of concession period hands the utilities over to the host government.
Bullet
A loan or placing which is paid back entirely on its maturity.
Buyer credit
An export financing arrangement in which a bank or an ECA lends money directly to a foreign buyer of exported goods enabling the buyer to make payment due to the exporter. Medium to long-term financing.