EAFE index. The Europe, Australasia, Far East Index. Created by Morgan Stanley Capital International^®, this index is the most widely used measurement of international stock market performance. It represents the performance of approximately 20,000 securities from more than 20 countries.

Employer identification number (EIN). A type of taxpayer identification number (TIN) assigned to employers, employees' plans, estates, partnerships, trusts and other business entities.

Equity security. Security representing ownership interest in a corporation—sometimes called stocks.

Exchange rate. Price at which one country's currency can be converted into another country's.

Ex-dividend. Literally, trading without the dividend. It is the interval between the record date and payment of the next dividend. An investor who buys shares during that interval is not entitled to the dividend on those newly purchased shares. A security or fund that has gone ex-dividend is marked with an "x" in most newspaper listings.

Exempt interest dividend. (See Tax-Exempt Interest Dividend.