In finance, an
abnormal return is the difference between the actual
return of a
security and the
expected return. Abnormal returns are sometimes triggered by "events." Events can include
mergers,
dividend announcements, company earning announcements, interest rate increases,
lawsuits, etc. all of which can contribute to an abnormal return. Events in finance can typically be classified as information or occurrences that have not already been priced by the
market.