(FINANCE) bonds issued by the treasury of a country.
In the USA, the US Department of the Treasury serves as the underwriter for the federal government; it floats bonds and short term securities ("paper"), which is then used by central banks around the world as hot money.
Includes
--the t-bill: short term (>91 days); discounted
--the treasury note: up to 10 years; coupons
--the treasury bond: longer than 20 years; coupons
In the USA, the US Department of the Treasury serves as the underwriter for the federal government; it floats bonds and short term securities ("paper"), which is then used by central banks around the world as hot money.
Includes
--the t-bill: short term (>91 days); discounted
--the treasury note: up to 10 years; coupons
--the treasury bond: longer than 20 years; coupons
by Abu Yahya May 05, 2010

(ECONOMICS) A bank that is empowered to issue currency. In the USA, between 1863 (National Bank Act) and 1935, any bank with a federally issued charter (i.e., a national bank) was allowed to issue currency. After 1914, few did.
The US Treasury issued a small number of banknotes until 1971.
In the UK, banknotes of the Bank of England are legal tender; but the Royal Bank of Scotland is also a bank of issue.
Today, in almost every country of the world, the sole bank of issue is the central bank of that country.
The US Treasury issued a small number of banknotes until 1971.
In the UK, banknotes of the Bank of England are legal tender; but the Royal Bank of Scotland is also a bank of issue.
Today, in almost every country of the world, the sole bank of issue is the central bank of that country.
by Abu Yahya May 05, 2010

the amount of goods and services that a country exports, minus the goods and services that it imports *in a calendar year*. In 1999 Japan exported much more than it imported, so it had a trade surplus. The same year, the United States imported more than it exported, and therefore had a large trade deficit.
The trade balance is negative if a country runs a trade deficit, and positive if it runs a trade surplus.
The trade balance is negative if a country runs a trade deficit, and positive if it runs a trade surplus.
The trade balance is an extremely important indicator of economic health for most countries. Typically (not not always) the value of the currency is strongly influenced by the trade balance also.
by Abu Yahya February 14, 2009

(ECONOMICS) Job losers and persons who completed temporary jobs, as a percent of the civilian labor force.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics regularly publishes six estimates of unemployment. The others are U-1, U-3, U-4, U-5, and U-6. Eurostat publishes one monthly estimate of unemployment for the European Union, which is approximately midway between U-3 and U-4.
The unemployment statistics for the USA are collected through a monthly Current Population Survey (CPS) (also known as the household survey) and an establishment survey.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics regularly publishes six estimates of unemployment. The others are U-1, U-3, U-4, U-5, and U-6. Eurostat publishes one monthly estimate of unemployment for the European Union, which is approximately midway between U-3 and U-4.
The unemployment statistics for the USA are collected through a monthly Current Population Survey (CPS) (also known as the household survey) and an establishment survey.
As a measure of unemployment, U-2 focuses on workers who must abruptly deal with the loss of income after having lost their job or recently finished temporary employment. It is nearly always more than U-1, but there are occasional exceptions.
by Abu Yahya July 17, 2010

(FINANCE) a tradable financial instrument that consists of a commitment to buy a fixed amount of X at a fixed price (known as a "strike price"). Put options are the opposite of a call option, in which ones to sell a fixed amount of X at strike.
Put options are useful to traders interested in covering risk. They guarantee a minimum price at which one can expect to sell one's holdings of X.
When the strike price of a put is less than the spot price, then it is "out of the money" and has no intrinsic value.
Put options are useful to traders interested in covering risk. They guarantee a minimum price at which one can expect to sell one's holdings of X.
When the strike price of a put is less than the spot price, then it is "out of the money" and has no intrinsic value.
Buying put options is a way of shorting a stock; but it can also be used as a hedge against unpleasant surprises.
by Abu Yahya April 15, 2010

All of the parts of a productive system that contribute to marketable products; the productive elements in a particular economy. This includes the entire network of firms, regulatory bodies (like government), infrastructure (roads, telecommunications), and financial intermediaries (banks, thrifts).
In a global economy, there are many industrial systems. In fact, it's quite possible that a single town could have companies belonging to different industrial systems; e.g., a paper mill near a biotech research facility. Almost none of the productive systems share potential employees or potential markets; a recession for the biotech business could--and probably would--completely spare the paper mill. Moreover, the managers of the two businesses probably want opposite policies: the mill owners want low taxes and small government, while the biotech researchers want big spending on education and infrastructure.
Much confusion is caused by calling the industrial system the "economy." The industrial system is not the economy. The industrial system is an organic entity within a greater economy. Various policies may be beneficial for this or that industrial system, with an ambiguous effect (if any) on the economy.
In a global economy, there are many industrial systems. In fact, it's quite possible that a single town could have companies belonging to different industrial systems; e.g., a paper mill near a biotech research facility. Almost none of the productive systems share potential employees or potential markets; a recession for the biotech business could--and probably would--completely spare the paper mill. Moreover, the managers of the two businesses probably want opposite policies: the mill owners want low taxes and small government, while the biotech researchers want big spending on education and infrastructure.
Much confusion is caused by calling the industrial system the "economy." The industrial system is not the economy. The industrial system is an organic entity within a greater economy. Various policies may be beneficial for this or that industrial system, with an ambiguous effect (if any) on the economy.
The family model was incorporated into the industrial system with the agent (who was the chief manager) filling the father's role. The same model was also expressed in the hierarchical management structure... The overseer was the "father" of his workroom and was expected to treat the workers like his children.
(Tamara K. Hareven, *Family Time and Industrial Time* 1982, p.4)
(Tamara K. Hareven, *Family Time and Industrial Time* 1982, p.4)
by Abu Yahya February 24, 2010

(FINANCE) the amount of bank reserves that a bank must keep in storage to meet unexpected liabilities.
Banks are not allowed to lend out 100% of the money they receive as deposits; if they did, then depositors would be unable to take money out of the bank. On the other hand, the bank has to lend most of the money out, since it needs the income earned from interest on loans. Throughout the history of the Usonian banking system, the US states or the federal government have had rules about interest rates, reserves, and financial accounting used by banks.
Reserve requirements are necessary to mitigate the risk of bank runs; this was thought to have disappeared thanks to deposit insurance, but Washington Mutual experienced a bank run in 2008 that forced it into receivership.
Banks are not allowed to lend out 100% of the money they receive as deposits; if they did, then depositors would be unable to take money out of the bank. On the other hand, the bank has to lend most of the money out, since it needs the income earned from interest on loans. Throughout the history of the Usonian banking system, the US states or the federal government have had rules about interest rates, reserves, and financial accounting used by banks.
Reserve requirements are necessary to mitigate the risk of bank runs; this was thought to have disappeared thanks to deposit insurance, but Washington Mutual experienced a bank run in 2008 that forced it into receivership.
In the USA, reserves have been set by law for centuries; as a percentage of liabilities, this percentage has declined over the centuries to its current level of 3-10% (as of 1992). In the Eurozone, this rate is 2%; in Japan, it is about 1.5%; and in Commonwealth countries like the UK & Canada, it is voluntary--there are no reserve requirements.
by Abu Yahya September 04, 2010
