Economics Department

Jim Klein - Economics 500-1 Money and Banking

Preliminary readings

The Theory of Interest by Irving Fisher

Read sections I, II, and IV

Monetary History of the United States by Milton Friedman

Read the part on the great contraction - Chapter 7

Web sites

1. FRB St. Louis
2. CBOT Bonds
3. CBOT Gold
4. Big Charts
5. US Treasury

Trading

Reminiscences of a Stock Operator by Jesse Livermore

Student performance

There will be two tests and a final exam composed of multiple choice and essays.

Each student will create a chartbook, showing the following:

1. Current state of the US economy
2. Current state of the US financial markets
3. Forecast for the next 6 months

Each student will present a five minute briefing on the state of US financial markets as if they were addressing the board of directors of a US financial corporation. The class will ask questions and make comments as if they were on the board.