Bounce

The term 'Bounce' pertains to various scenarios in finance, securities, and communications where an action is invalidated or not executed as intended. It includes returned checks due to insufficient funds, rejected securities, sudden stock price moves, and undelivered emails.

Definition of Bounce

The term “Bounce” can be applied in several contexts within finance, securities, and email communications:

  1. Banking: In banking, a bounce occurs when a check is returned by a bank due to insufficient funds in the account, making it non-payable. This event often leads to additional bank charges and potential complications for both the issuer and the receiver.

  2. Securities: In the securities market, a bounce refers to the rejection and subsequent reclamation of a security because of bad delivery. It indicates that the transaction could not be completed due to documentation or authorization issues.

  3. Stock Market: The term also describes a stock price’s sudden decline and subsequent recovery. A specific type of price pattern known as the “Dead-Cat Bounce” falls under this category, where a brief recovery follows a significant decline in stock prices before continuing to drop.

  4. Email Communications: Bouncing in email context refers to the return of an email because it could not be delivered to the specified address. This may happen due to incorrect addresses, full inboxes, or server issues.

Examples

  1. Banking Bounce: Jane writes a check for $500 to pay her rent, but her bank account only has $300. The check bounces due to insufficient funds, and she incurs a fee of $35 from her bank.

  2. Securities Bounce: A trader realizes a security transaction was voided because of incorrect paperwork, causing the security to be bounced back to them.

  3. Dead-Cat Bounce: After a steep decline, Stock XYZ briefly rises by 5% before continuing its descent the next day. This rise and fall pattern are typical of a Dead-Cat Bounce.

  4. Email Bounce: An automated email system sends an invoice to a customer, but the message is returned with a “Mailbox Full” error, indicating that it has bounced.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

  1. What happens when a check bounces?

    • When a check bounces, the bank returns it unpaid due to insufficient funds in the account. This can result in fees for both the issuer and the recipient of the check.
  2. What causes a security to bounce?

    • A security can bounce due to bad delivery, often resulting from incomplete or incorrect transaction documentation.
  3. What is a Dead-Cat Bounce in stock trading?

    • A Dead-Cat Bounce is a temporary recovery in stock prices following a significant decline. It’s short-lived and typically followed by further decline.
  4. Why does an email bounce?

    • An email bounces back when delivery fails, which can be caused by incorrect addresses, full mailboxes, or server issues.
  1. Insufficient Funds: A condition in which an account does not have enough money to cover a transaction or withdrawal.

  2. Bad Delivery: The delivery of securities or documents that do not meet the specified requirements, leading to a rejection or bounce.

  3. Dead-Cat Bounce: A phrase used in finance to describe a short-lived recovery in the price of a declining stock.

  4. Undeliverable Email: Electronic communication that cannot reach its destination due to issues such as incorrect recipient addresses or server problems.

Online References

Suggested Books for Further Studies

  • “Check Fraud and the Role of the Banking System” by James Adler
  • “Security Analysis: Principles and Techniques” by Benjamin Graham and David Dodd
  • “Principles of Corporate Finance” by Richard Brealey, Stewart Myers, and Franklin Allen
  • “Email Marketing Rules: A Step-by-Step Guide to the Best Practices” by Chad S. White

Fundamentals of Bounces: Finance and Communications Basics Quiz

### What happens to a check when it bounces? - [x] It is returned unpaid due to insufficient funds. - [ ] It is immediately paid from a savings account by default. - [ ] The bank automatically processes it within a week. - [ ] It incurs no fees for the issuer. > **Explanation:** A bounced check is returned unpaid because the account holder does not have enough funds in their account to cover it. This often incurs additional fees. ### What is a common cause of a security to bounce? - [ ] Excellent delivery. - [ ] Correct documentation. - [x] Bad delivery. - [ ] Market fluctuations. > **Explanation:** Securities can bounce due to bad delivery, which often involves issues with documentation or authorization. ### What describes a stock's sudden decline and recovery, which is typically temporary? - [ ] Consistent growth. - [x] Dead-Cat Bounce. - [ ] Market corrections. - [ ] Bull market. > **Explanation:** A Dead-Cat Bounce describes a temporary recovery in stock prices after a significant decline, usually followed by a further decline. ### Why might an email bounce? - [ ] It reached the recipient successfully. - [ ] The sender's inbox is full. - [x] The recipient's address is incorrect or inbox is full. - [ ] The email does not contain a subject. > **Explanation:** Emails can bounce due to incorrect recipient addresses, full inboxes, or server issues preventing delivery. ### What term is used for having insufficient money in an account to cover a check? - [ ] Overdraft protection. - [x] Insufficient funds. - [ ] Balanced account. - [ ] Equity shortfall. > **Explanation:** Insufficient funds refer to a situation where there is not enough money in an account to cover a check or transaction. ### Who typically incurs fees when a check bounces? - [ ] Only the bank. - [ ] Only the recipient. - [x] Both the issuer and the recipient. - [ ] It incurs no fees for anyone. > **Explanation:** When a check bounces, both the issuer and recipient usually incur fees from their respective banks. ### What does bad delivery refer to in the securities market? - [ ] A successful transaction delivery. - [ ] Accurate and complete documentation. - [x] Failure due to incorrect or incomplete documentation. - [ ] A rise in stock prices. > **Explanation:** Bad delivery occurs when a transaction fails due to incorrect or incomplete documentation, causing the security to bounce. ### What is an example of a temporary price recovery followed by a further decline? - [ ] Bull market. - [x] Dead-Cat Bounce. - [ ] Bear market. - [ ] Horizontal trading. > **Explanation:** A Dead-Cat Bounce is a temporary price recovery typically followed by a further decline, indicating short-lived optimism in a declining market. ### How is the term "Insufficient Funds" typically resolved if a check bounces? - [ ] By ignoring the situation. - [x] By depositing enough money to cover the check amount. - [ ] By closing the bank account. - [ ] By blame-shifting to the recipient. > **Explanation:** To resolve insufficient funds, one must deposit enough money into their account to cover the bounced check. ### What happens to a stock after a Dead-Cat Bounce? - [ ] It continues to rise indefinitely. - [x] It often continues to decline after a brief recovery. - [ ] It stabilizes permanently. - [ ] It is delisted. > **Explanation:** A Dead-Cat Bounce implies a brief recovery in a declining stock price, typically followed by a continuation of the decline.

Thank you for exploring the concept of bounces across banking, securities, and email communications. Keep refining your understanding to excel in financial and communication business nuances!

Wednesday, August 7, 2024

Accounting Terms Lexicon

Discover comprehensive accounting definitions and practical insights. Empowering students and professionals with clear and concise explanations for a better understanding of financial terms.