Fractional-reserve banking: Difference between revisions

From Citizendium
Jump to navigation Jump to search
imported>Janos Abel
(Start article)
 
imported>Janos Abel
mNo edit summary
Line 1: Line 1:
Fractional-reserve banking is the modern practice of lending multiples of deposits held by banks. For example, a deposit of ten pounds enables the bank to lend ninety pounds to a new borrower (i.e. £100 less £10 kept as reserve), thereby increasing the amount "money" in circulation. The reserve ratio varies from time to time as determined by the central bank and is one of the means of controlling the money supply.<ref>Economics, P. A. Samuelson and W. D. Nordhaus</ref>
Fractional-reserve banking is the modern practice of lending multiples of deposits held by banks. For example, a deposit of ten pounds enables the bank to lend ninety pounds to a new borrower (i.e. £100, less £10 kept as reserve), thereby increasing the amount "money" in circulation. The reserve ratio varies from time to time as determined by the central bank and is one of the means of controlling the money supply.<ref>Economics, P. A. Samuelson and W. D. Nordhaus</ref>

Revision as of 04:30, 23 April 2007

Fractional-reserve banking is the modern practice of lending multiples of deposits held by banks. For example, a deposit of ten pounds enables the bank to lend ninety pounds to a new borrower (i.e. £100, less £10 kept as reserve), thereby increasing the amount "money" in circulation. The reserve ratio varies from time to time as determined by the central bank and is one of the means of controlling the money supply.[1]

  1. Economics, P. A. Samuelson and W. D. Nordhaus