Money is a commodity like any other and like other commodities, money can be lent by those with a surplus to those with a deficit. The price which those with surplus funds charge for the use of funds is called the interest rate. The Loanable Funds Market The supply of loanable funds ultimately comes from […]
Money and Banking Part 7: Interest Rates Read More »
In a market economy, prices play a leading role in allocating scarce resources. Prices fulfill this function by conveying information to buyers and sellers about the relative scarcity or abundance of goods and services. With price information, buyers and sellers alter their behavior in ways that bring about equilibrium – the state in which a
Money and Banking Part 6: Money and Prices Read More »
In this post, we discuss monetary policy and the role that central banks play in a modern economy. Although our focus is primarily on the U.S. central bank, the Federal Reserve, the policy tools which we discuss our similar to those used by other central banks, such as the European Central Bank, the Bank of
Money and Banking Part 5: Monetary Policy Read More »
In part 1 of this blog series, I referenced the famous bank run scene in the movie It’s a Wonderful Life. In the scene, a mob of depositors gather around the Bailey Building and Loan and demand withdrawal of their deposits. George Bailey, the film’s protagonist, attempts to calm the crowd by telling them, “….
Money and Banking Part 4: Fractional Reserve Banking and Money Creation Read More »
In this post, we provide a brief overview of the history of the U.S. monetary system and track its evolution towards our current monetary system. Money in the Colonies In colonial times, currency was in short supply. Since Britain did not allow the colonies to mint their own currencies, the colonists circulated a variety of
Money and Banking Part 3: The Evolution of the U.S. Monetary System Read More »
In part 1 of this series, I discussed the bank run scene in the movie It’s a Wonderful Life. In the scene, the depositors at the local building and loan lined up to withdraw their money from the institution. The protagonist, George Bailey, then uses his and his wife’s honeymoon money to pay out claims
Money and Banking Part 2: Defining Money Read More »
In 2018, I put together a small booklet titled An Introduction to Money and Banking which I gave out to friends, potential clients, and anyone who I thought would be interested. One goal of mine was to provide readers with a better understanding of the U.S. central bank, The Federal Reserve, particularly in the aftermath
Money and Banking Part 1: Introduction Read More »
In a previous post, I provided a brief sketch of the life and career of legendary investor Charlie Munger. In this post, I want to provide some thoughts on what I believe is Munger’s greatest contribution: his advocacy of multi-disciplinary self-learning. Charlie Munger, who passed away on November 28, 2023, at the age of ninety-nine,
Charlie Munger and the Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Business Read More »
This essay is the first in a two-part series on the life and legacy of Charlie Munger. Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett’s partner and long-time vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, died on Tuesday November 28th, 2023, at the age of 99. Early Life Charlie Munger was born on January 1, 2024, in Omaha, Nebraska to Alfred
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This post is the last in a series covering financial ratios. In previous posts, we discussed ratios which measure profitability and working capital efficiency. In this post, we cover credit ratios. Credit ratios help investors, lenders, and managers determine a firm’s ability to satisfy debt obligations. Naturally, lenders are concerned about a firm’s ability to
Credit Ratios Introduction Read More »
