[Lombard Street: A Description of the Money Market by Walter Bagehot]@TWC D-Link book
Lombard Street: A Description of the Money Market

CHAPTER V
5/11

If a bank with a monopoly of note issue suddenly lends (suppose) 2,000,000 L.more than usual, it causes a proportionate increase of trade and increase of prices.

The persons to whom that 2,000,000 L.was lent, did not borrow it to lock it up; they borrow it, in the language of the market, to 'operate with' that is, they try to buy with it; and that new attempt to buy--that new demand raises prices.

And this rise of prices has three consequences.First.It makes everybody else want to borrow money.
Money is not so efficient in buying as it was, and therefore operators require more money for the same dealings.

If railway stock is 10 per cent dearer this year than last, a speculator who borrows money to enable him to deal must borrow 10 per cent more this year than last, and in consequence there is an augmented demand for loans.Secondly.This is an effectual demand, for the increased price of railway stock enables those who wish it to borrow more upon it.

The common practice is to lend a certain portion of the market value of such securities, and if that value increases, the amount of the usual loan to be obtained on them increases too.


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