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Catalyst

Categories: Trading, Charts

In equity markets, an event or action that provokes or speeds a significant change in the price of a security.

The agent of provocation can be literally anything that causes momentum, positive or negative: an earnings report, buyout rumors, new legislation, a product announcement, a tweet from Trump, World War III, locusts, a Zombie Apocalypse, or a video of Elon Musk and Mary Jane that goes viral.

Some investors stick to fundamentals, holding their ground during the jarring rollercoaster ride of uncertainty, while other momentum investors seek to take advantage of the bullish or bearish indicator effect of these catalysts. Either way, someone’s making a mint, and it’s safe to say that Elon Musk is, too.

Find other enlightening terms in Shmoop Finance Genius Bar(f)