The Value of MoneyAnderson, Benjamin M. (Benjamin McAlester)
General
The Value of Money
Anderson, Benjamin M. (Benjamin McAlester)
Money
This six and a half billions in checks saved on account of sales of
stocks is no small matter, absolutely. But this, though measuring the
extent of undercounted _sales_, by no means measures the services of the
Clearing House to the Stock Exchange. Not merely stocks _sold_ have to
be cleared. Stocks _borrowed_ are also cleared. Borrowing of stocks is
not _trade_, but borrowing of stocks requires the passage of money and
checks. When stocks are borrowed, money is _loaned_. A bear sells short.
He has to deliver next day. He accomplishes this by having his broker
"borrow" the stock he needs from a broker representing a bull, who is
long on the stocks, and who needs money to "carry" them. The bull, who
lends the stock, receives dividends from the bear, as they accrue, and
pays the bear interest on the money lent. An enormous lot of this takes
place. Moreover, to some extent, these transactions are increased
artificially, in order that the broker may make his "clearing sheet"
misleading, and avoid revealing his position with reference to the
market.[435] Loans of stock and sales of stock appear alike in the
transactions of the Clearing House. Moreover, apart from the necessities
of the bears for stocks to deliver, we have the necessities of the
bulls for money to carry their stocks. If a broker who has borrowed
largely from the banks finds his customers turning to the bear side of
the market, he has an excess of funds. He may repay his loans, but they
may be, in part, time loans, and in any case, he may find it just as
well, if he can make a small fraction of 1% in interest, to lend to
another broker, among whose customers the bulls are increasing. A vast
deal of money is thus transferred, on collateral security, by means of
"loaning stocks." Brokers prefer to borrow money from one another in
this manner, since no margins are required, in general, whereas banks
would require margins. These various reasons make a vast deal of
"borrowing and carrying" transactions, and a regular place is set aside
for them on the Floor--Post 4, commonly called the "Money Post." At this
post, also, the banks, through brokers, lend on call, and the published
call rates are established there. Of this, however, we shall have more
to say later.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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