Account Period Settlement:
The settlement process where the buy and sale transactions done for a particular period (week or fortnight) are aggregated and only the net obligations are settled after the period is over. Indian securities market had weekly account period settlement before rolling settlement.

Allotment:
A letter sent to the successful application about allotment of shares/debentures against his application.
American Depository Receipts (ADRs):
A certificate issued in the United States in lieu of foreign security. ADRs are traded in US markets for all intents and purposes.

American option:
A put or call option that cane be exercised any time before the expiration date.

Asset Management Company:
The company that handles day to day management and operations of a Mutual Fund.

Arbitrage
The process of benefiting out of price differential in the same scrip between two markets or because of price difference in the scrip in the underlying market and futures or derivative markets.
Arbitration:
Settlement of claims differences or disputes between member of a stock exchange and another member and between a member and his clients, sub-brokers, etc., through appointed arbitrators. It is a quasi-judicial process that is faster and an inexpensive way of resolving a dispute. The stock exchange facilitates the process of arbitration between the members and their clients in accordance with the bye-laws of the exchange.

Ask
The price which the seller of the security wants to sell the shares owned by him.

Auction:
An auction is a mechanism utilized by the stock exchange to fulfill its obligation to a counter party member when a member fails to deliver agreed securities or make the payment. Through auction, the stock exchange arranges to buy good securities and deliver them to the buying broker or arranges to realise the cash and pay it to the selling broker.