- variable
- An element in a model. For example, in the model RS&Pt+1 = a + b T-bill t + et, where RS&Pt+1 is the return on the S&P in month t+1 and T-bill is the T-bill return at month t, both RS&P and T-bill are "variables" because they change through time; i.e., they are not constant. Bloomberg Financial Dictionary
* * *
▪ I. variable var‧i‧a‧ble 1 [ˈveəriəbl ǁ ˈver-] noun [countable]something that affects a situation in a way that means you cannot be sure what will happen:• Interest rates and earnings are the two most important variables in forecasting stock prices.
• The Japanese are subject to the same economic variables as everybody else.
variable costs, prices, interest rates etc change or can change and are not fixed:• The value of both fixed- and variable-rate loans fell nearly half a per cent.
• The new management will offer more attractive variable annuities.
* * *
Ⅰ.variable UK US /ˈveəriəbl/ adjective► able to change or be changed: »50% of the restaurant manager's remuneration was variable.
»Returns are variable but can rise to as much as 9%.
»Those who bought variable annuities a few years ago are already losing money on them.
► not always of the same level or standard: »Internet phone call quality can be wildly variable.
»The new chips have turned out to be of variable quality.
Ⅱ.variable UK US /ˈveəriəbl/ noun [C]► a number, amount, or situation that can change and affect something in different ways: »Right now, there are too many variables for us to make a decision.
Financial and business terms. 2012.
