Open market
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The term open market is used generally to refer to an economic situation close to
In economic theory
Economists judge the "openness" of markets according to the amount of
A physical open market is a space where anyone wishing to trade physical goods may do so free of selling charges and taxes, and has come to be regarded by many activists as the ultimate social enterprise and a major tool for tackling unemployment.
In a more general sense the term has started to be used in
The concept of an open market in this general sense is sometimes criticized on the ground that participation in it is conditional on having sufficient money, income or assets. Lacking sufficient money, income or assets, people may be effectively excluded from participation. Thus, whereas people may have sufficient funds to participate in some markets, their funds are inadequate to participate in other markets. This raises the question of whether markets are ever truly "open", and suggests that the "openness" of markets is more a relative concept. In response to this type of criticism, the concept of open market is often redefined to mean a situation of
In banking
In
- To intervene in the "open market operations to increase reserves. Open Market Operations are when the central bank buys bonds from other banks in exchange for cheques. These local banks then cash the cheques, which allow them to take money from the central bank. This action thus decreases any credit the local banks may owe to the central bank, and also increases their money supply. This thus increases reserves.
- Stated otherwise: To intervene in the "business cycle", a central bank may choose to buy (or sell) government securities from (or to) the banks which it regulates, thereby increasing (or decreasing) the reserves (not deposits) of those banks; the regulated banks must comply with the buy & sell orders of the central bank. This process is known as open market operations. For example, a central bank may command its regulated banks to sell government bonds or bills to the central bank, which pays with cheques or electronic transactions which are cashed by these banks, moving money from the central bank to the bank reserves (not deposits) of the regulated banks.
See also
- Free market
- Money market
- Open Market (an early ecommerce company)
References
- ISBN 978-3-642-72043-7, retrieved 2024-04-15