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Debit
Another name for withdrawal of funds from your account.

Debit card
Another name for a bank card that allows you to access your deposit accounts electronically. You can use it at banking machines or to pay for purchases at retailers using the direct payment service.

Debt
Money owed.

Debt Issues
The issuance of bonds or other forms of debt on the public markets.

Debt/equity ratio
A comparison of debt and equity used to measure the health of a business.

Deflation
An actual decline in the general level of prices in the economy.

Demand Loan
A loan that must be repaid in full, on demand.

Demographics
Characteristics of the population that influence consumption of products and services. They include age, sex, race, family size, level of education, occupation, income and location of residence.

Deposit
Money put into an account. The deposit may be in the form of cash, cheque or electronic transaction.

Deposit Insurance
The Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation insures depositors' funds to a maximum of $60,000 per depositor, per institution, with some exceptions, in the event of the failure of a federal financial institution. Deposits in some provincial financial institutions are also covered.

Depreciation
You can deduct a specified amount of the purchase price of business equipment, for tax purposes, to calculate your company’s taxable income. Your accountant can provide details.

Depression
A prolonged downturn in the economy and level of business activity.

Derivatives
Financial contracts whose value is derived from the value of some underlying asset, rate or index. Derivatives are used as risk-management tools by governments and corporations to reduce exposure to risk, mainly related to fluctuations in foreign-exchange and interest rates. Derivative instruments include swaps, options, futures and forward contracts and are used by banks in two principal activities: sales/trading and asset/liability management.

Direct Debit
A means of authorizing recurring payments (e.g., mortgage payments, insurance premiums) to be drawn on an account.

Direct deposit
If you receive money on a regular basis (i.e. from a job, pension, allowance), your employer, the government or person paying the allowance can deposit the money directly into your account.

Direct Deposit/Direct Fund Transfers (DFT)
A means of authorizing payment made by governments or companies to be deposited directly into a recipient's bank account. It is used mainly for deposits of a recurring nature such as salary, pensions and interest payments.

Disinflation
A reduction in the rate of inflation either as a result of government policy or of declining economic activity.

Dividends
Company earnings that may be paid out to shareholders according to the number of shares or stocks they hold. Dividends can be earned on stocks and certain mutual funds.

Documentary Credit
Written undertaking by a bank on behalf of an importer authorizing an exporter to draw funds from a bank up to a specified amount under specific terms and conditions. They are used to facilitate international trade. In the United States these instruments are called commercial letters of credit.

Domestic Banks
Banks owned by Canadians.