The relationships between money and financial markets in France. 1880-1914.

Summary This thesis deals with the relationship between the money market and the financial market from 1880 to 1914. It focuses in particular on the market for short-term loans. This dissertation studies in detail two segments of this market: the advances on securities (collateralized short-term loans), and the repo market (repurchase agreements). The key financial intermediaries are the Banque de France, four main commercial banks, regional banks, the « coulisse » operating over-the-counter and the « Compagnie des agents de changes ». The dissertation is structured in three chapters. The first deals with the introduction of a clearing house in the French historical repo market, and studies its consequences on counterparty risk. The second chapter deals with Bank of France monetary policy between 1890 and 1913 and the role of the banking sector in the transmission of policy shocks. The third chapter deals with the Great Financial Crisis of 1914.