Cyclopedia of Commerce, Accountancy, Business Administration, v. 05 (of 10)American School of Correspondence
General
Cyclopedia of Commerce, Accountancy, Business Administration, v. 05 (of 10)
American School of Correspondence
Accounting; Business; Commerce
=3.= Purchases of grain at a stipulated price differ from stock
purchases, inasmuch as the full amount of the purchase does not have to
be paid until the delivery of the goods, although there are frequently
charges, such as storage and insurance, which must be made upon long
time purchases. These charges do not accrue, however, until after
delivery. If a customer buys fifty thousand bushels of wheat in April
for September delivery, the purchase is made by the brokers at the
earliest date possible, in order to avoid any fluctuation of the market.
When the broker makes the purchase he pays over the amount necessary to
secure the same. If the deal is carried through to maturity, the grain
is delivered to the broker who has made the purchase for his client, and
is in turn delivered to the client upon the payment of the balance due,
including all charges upon the same.
It is frequently the case, however, that before the actual delivery
takes place, the client has ordered the broker to sell a sufficient
amount to cover the deal. This may be either at an advance or a decline
from the price purchased, but in either case the broker receives his
commissions for both transactions—buying and selling.
BULLS AND BEARS
=4.= Investors who are always figuring upon an advance in prices are
termed _bulls_, and those who are confident of lower prices are termed
_bears_. If a seller sells for future delivery what he does not own, he
is termed _short_ and becomes temporarily a buyer, in order that he may
have a sufficient amount to fill his orders. If a buyer holds stock or
grain for a rise, or contracts for future delivery, he is termed _long_
and becomes temporarily a seller, seeking to bring his holdings down to
the normal demand.
EXACT BOOKKEEPING NECESSARY
=5.= It will be seen from the nature of the business that the
bookkeeping department must be very exact, careful in its dealings, and
as prompt as a bank in its action. Every precaution must be taken to
safeguard the broker and protect the customer. The accounts must show,
with each transaction, the brokerage or commission charges and, as in
active times the transactions are very numerous, they must be quickly
and accurately recorded in the books of the company.
BROKER'S COMMISSION
=6.= The percentage or commission due to the broker is included in the
amount deposited to protect the deal, which is called a _margin_. If
there should be a decline in price of either stock or grain, sufficient
to cause the broker to feel insecure, he always reserves the right to
call upon the customer for an additional deposit, even though the time
of delivery has not yet arrived. In case the customer fails to make such
additional deposit, the broker can sell the securities, grain, or other
purchase, at once, in order to protect himself; the amount primarily
deposited by the customer is thereby forfeited.
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