Hedge Funds
Little-regulated private investment partnerships for large investors. They wager huge sums in global currency, bond and stock markets.

Hedging
Buying opposite positions in related securities with the hope of profiting from related price movements.

Holding Company
A company whose principal assets are the securities it owns in companies that actually provide goods or services. A holding company enables one corporation and its directors to control several companies by holding a large stake in the companies.

Hostile Takeover
An acquisition of one company by another over the objections of the target company's board. Often an acquirer will take its transaction directly to the shareholders of the target company, offering to buy their shares through a tender offer, or seeking their approval to remove opposing members from the target company's board.