What is buy side / sell side?

Water Cooler Careers
#1

What is buy side or sell side? I have been coming across these terms but I am unable to distinguish.

Buy side - are these the clients or the portfolio managers who simply are interested in buying the securities, etc.

Does this side also have research analysts - like buy side analyst who write reports on companies / etc. specifying whether to buy a stock or not. Umm… I think I am wrong = who is a buy side analyst?

Sell side - those who make efforts and arrangements for sale such as Investment banks? Sell-side analyst who writes reports on companies - good report - good stock - trade in this stock… buy or sell side analyst? But what exactly is a sell side analyst? Is there a buy side analyst? Clients cannot be sell side?

Please simplify…

#2

Buy side: investing the company’s money, hush hush.

Sell side: investing client’s money. Pitching ideas, research reports to direct trades through your bank.

#3

buyside

http://www.cnbc.com/id/101716539

#4

Sell side is where they throw the parties.

Buy side is who gets the invitations.

#5

On the buy side, you get to say FU before hanging up the phone.

#6

Haah!

#7

Buyside = BSD

Sellside = Big Swinging Sock