SAVING AND INVESTING

Understanding Your Options in Today’s Financial

Markets

Topic Overview

InvestingFinancial System

Investment Choices

Savings AccountsCD’s

Mutual FundsBondsStocks

What is investment?

The act of redirecting resources from being consumed today so that they will create

benefits in the future.

Private Enterprise and Investing

When people save or invest their money, their funds become available for businesses to use to expand and grow. In this way, investment promotes economic growth for the entire economy.

For investment to take place an economy needs a healthy financial system. The financial system includes savers and borrowers and allows for the transfer of money between them.

What are financial intermediaries?

Financial intermediaries are institutions that help channel funds

from savers to borrowers.

What are some examples of financial intermediaries?

1. Banks and Credit Unions2. Finance Companies3. Life Insurance Companies4. Pension Funds

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)

Enacted by the Banking Act of 1933

Purpose: Restore public confidence in the banking system, prevent bank runs

Deposit insurance shifts the risk of bank failures from individuals to the FDIC

$2,500 -- $250,000

No money has been lost in the banking system since it has been enacted

Depository Institutions: Banks, Credit Unions

Offer a variety of consumer services

85% of their loans are real estate loans

Credit unions vary from traditional banks because they are cooperative financial institutions that are owned by depositors/members.

Insured by National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) which functions the same as the FDIC

Offer lower interest loans and higher interest savings accounts to their members

Non-Depository Financial Institutions

Insurance Companies

Pension Funds

Finance Companies

What are the Three Main Functions of Financial Intermediaries?

1.Sharing Risk

2.Providing Information

3.Providing Liquidity

The Federal Reserve System The Fed’s organization

Created in 1913Board of governors

○ 7 membersAppointed by the president & confirmed by the SenateHave 14-year terms

○ The chairmanDirects the Fed staffPresides over board meetingsTestifies regularly about Fed policy in front of congressional

committees.Appointed by the president (4-year term)

Federal Reserve Board in Washington, D.C. 12 regional Federal Reserve Banks

○ Major cities around the country○ The presidents - chosen by each bank’s board of directors

The Federal Reserve System The Fed’s jobs

Regulate banks & ensure the health of the banking system○ Monitors each bank’s financial condition ○ Facilitates bank transactions - clearing checks○ Acts as a bank’s bank○ The Fed – lender of last resort

Control the money supply○ Quantity of money available in the economy

Monetary policySetting of the money supply by policymakers in the central bank

○ Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC)7 members of the board of governors5 of the twelve regional bank presidentsMeets about every six weeks in Washington, D.C.Discuss the condition of the economyConsider changes in monetary policy

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The Federal Reserve System Fed’s primary tool - open-market operation

Purchase & sale of U.S. government bonds FOMC - increase the money supply

The Fed: open-market purchase○ Increase the money supply

FOMC - decrease the money supplyThe Fed: open-market sale

○ Decrease the money supply

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Other Tools of the Federal Reserve Bank

1. Reserve ratio (fractional reserve banking)

2. Discount rate3. Federal funds rate

Things to Consider….

Return and LiquiditySavings accounts have greater

liquidity, but in general have a lower rate of return.

Certificates of deposit usually have a greater return but liquidity is reduced.

Return and Risk• In general, the higher potential

return of the investment, the greater the risk involved.

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What are some things that you may

consider before choosing an

investment option?

Saving and Investing1. Savings Accounts

Savings○ A bank account used for depositing money that may be

needed in a short amount of time.○ Highly Liquid/Low Interest

Money Market ○ Bank account that allows you to save and write a limited

number of checks.○ Higher interest (VARIABLE) than a savings account, but

generally requires a minimum balance and has increased fees.

○ Liquid/Variable interest

Time Deposit (Certificate of Deposit) ○ Bank accounts that offer a guaranteed interest rate for a

fixed amount of time.○ Banks charge substantial penalty for withdrawing before

the CD has reached maturity○ Low Liquidity/Higher interest

2. Bonds Loans or IOU’s from the

government or corporation that must be repaid to the investor.

Characteristics: coupon rate (interest rate), maturity (time until payment is due), par value (face value/principal)

Types: Savings, Treasury, Municipal, Corporate, Junk

Lack liquidity, moderate return, generally low risk

3. STOCKS

Represent a piece of ownership in a corporation

Potential Benefits: Capital Gains and/or Dividends

Types of Stock: Preferred (dividends) and Common (dividends based on the market)

Highly liquid, moderate to high risk

4. MUTUAL FUNDS

Fund that pools the savings of many individuals and invests this money in a variety of stocks, bonds and other financial assets.

Naturally diverse investment option, which reduced risk

Liquidity and risk vary by type

The Stock Market Corporations can raise money by

issuing stock which represents ownership in the corporation.

A portion of stock is called a SHARE.

By selling shares of stock, corporations raise money to start, expand and develop their businesses.

In this way, stocks encourage overall economic growth.

Corporation

Economy

Investor

Stock Market Basics

How Stocks Are Traded

A stockbroker is a person who links buyers and sellers of stock.

Stockbrokers work for brokerage firms, or businesses that specialize in trading stock.

Stock exchanges are markets for buying and selling stock.

DIVIDENDS ~PORTIONS OF A CORPORATION’S PROFITS THAT

ARE PAID OUT TO STOCKHOLDERS.

~GENERALLY, THE HIGHER THE CORPORATE PROFIT, THE HIGHER THE DIVIDEND.

CAPITAL GAINS~MONEY EARNED WHEN A STOCKHOLDER SELLS

STOCK FOR MORE THAN THEY PAID FOR IT.

How do investors profit from stocks?

What are four main types of stock?

Dividend Difference

Growth Stock

Pays few or no dividends.

Income Stock

Pays regular dividends.

Decision Making

Difference

Common Stock

Voting member, last payout

Preferred Stock

Non-voting member, first

payout

Measuring Stock Performance Bull and Bear Markets

When the stock market rises steadily over time, a bull market exists.

When the stock market falls over a period of time, it’s called a bear market.

Stock Performance IndexesThe Dow Jones Industrial Average The Dow is an index that shows how stocks of 30 companies

in various industries have changed in value.The S & P 500 The S & P 500 is an index that tracks the performance of 500

different stocks.

$87 Billion

The Crash of 1929

Between the years of 1925 and 1929 the value of stocks being sold on the New York Stock Exchange had more than tripled.

$27 Billion

1925 1929

GM rose from $268 to $452 per share!!

Causes of the Crash Dangerous investment practices

SpeculationBuying on the Margin

False sense of prosperityThe “Roaring Twenties” brought unprecedented

amounts of prosperity to the United States. During this period consumers had access to many new products and believed that they could all have the glitz and glamour of the era.

Many spent well beyond their means and then utilized the largely unrestricted credit available to keep on purchasing.

Government policies “Laissez Faire”Lack of business regulation Lack of bank regulationLack of stock market regulation

The Beginning of the End: Black Thursday

Despite signs in September that a stock market crash may occur, many people continued to invest in the market.

By late October it became clear that the market was getting increasingly dangerous. Professional investors began to pull out of the market which resulted in a decline in prices.

On October 24, 1929 almost 13 MILLION shares of stock were frantically traded.

As stock values plummeted below the amount borrowed to purchase them, brokers demanded that investors repay their loans. When they couldn’t, brokers offered the stocks for sale.

The Bottom Falls Out:Black Tuesday

On October 29, 1929 the stock market collapsed. Over 16 MILLION shares of stock were sold on that

day and by the end of the day many stocks had no value at all!

Investors lost over $30 BILLION which was equivalent to:1/3 of the United States gross domestic productWages of ALL Americans for that entire year!

The failure of the banks was one of the most devastating results of the stock market crash because it resulted in non-investors losing their savings

October 29, 1929

Effects of the Great Crash

1. The Great Depression

2. Mistrust of banking industry/stock market

3. Long-term reduction of investment