Unit 3 Monetary Sector PDF

UNI T 3 The Monetary Sector Objectives ❖Define money and explain the requirements of money ❖Describe the functions of money ❖Discuss the functions of a central bank and commercial banks ❖Describe the money creation process ❖Explain how the supply of money and the demand for money are deter...

UNI T 3 The Monetary Sector Objectives ❖Define money and explain the requirements of money ❖Describe the functions of money ❖Discuss the functions of a central bank and commercial banks ❖Describe the money creation process ❖Explain how the supply of money and the demand for money are determined ❖Explain the instruments of monetary policy  MONEY Understanding the functions, characteristics, Serves as and types of money helps Medium of exchange us navigate the complex Facilitates Unit of account world of finance Economic Store of value Transactions  Definition of Money MONEY Definition of Money Money is defined as is anything that is generally acceptable in exchange for goods and services. Barter Economies Barter is the direct exchange of one good for another without using money as medium of exchange. If people want to trade, there has to be a double coincidence of wants. This means there is a need to find a match between what each of the two traders want to obtain and what each wants to offer in exchange. Barter is a time consuming process and not suitable for a modern economy where a wide range of goods and services are produced.  Requirements of Money Objects that we can use as money should meet the following requirements: General acceptability: It should be desired and accepted by all as medium of exchange. Durability: Money changes hands all the time and therefore it should not wear out easily. Manageability: Its mass should be small relative to its value, i.e. it must be portable. Homogeneity and divisibility: The various denominations of a currency should be made of the same material and look the same. Recognisability: It should be easily recognizable and distinguishable from other materials. Value: It should be limited in supply because the relative scarcity of a currency determines its value. A relatively fixed value: Its value should be fairly constant. Money loses its value and purchasing power due to inflation.  Functions of Money Money has several basic functions in the economy. These functions distinguish money from other assets such as stocks and bonds. Medium of exchange: We offer money in exchange for goods and services. This means that money is widely accepted as a method of payment. Unit of account: The prices of goods and services are stated in terms of money, in our case Namibia dollars. This enables us to compare the value of different goods and also to calculate the total value of the goods and services we wish to buy. Store of value: People need to hold wealth in some form and the most common way of holding wealth is money. Other stores of value include gold, paintings, real estate, stocks and bonds. Standard of deferred payment: In modern economies many purchases are made on credit. In this case the credit grantor trusts that the purchasing power of money will remain fairly stable.  Different Kinds of Money The money that we use as medium of exchange consists of notes, coins and demand deposits. Payment methods: Cash Debit cards: Debit cards are used to transfer money electronically. It can also be used to draw money from an ATM. Credit cards: Credit cards are not money, but proof that credit is available to a buyer. The buyer undertakes to repay the money to the bank at a later stage. In the past, we had Cheques: A cheque is not money. It is an instrument that is used to transfer money from one account to another. There are many other cards that we use every day such a petrol cards and cards issued by private businesses such as Woolworths, Edgars, Truworths, etc. These technological innovations make it difficult to pinpoint exactly what money is.  DIGITAL FINANCE Digital financial services comprises a broad range of financial services accessed and delivered through digital channels (including mobile financial services), including payments, credit, savings, remittances and insurance. Digital Products and Service Digital Products and Great possibilities for integrating into Services vs Young the formal financial system People No physical barriers, lower costs, faster and timely transactions Not without risks, e.g., -fraud -security and confidentiality of data Young people are more likely to be victims of online fraud, although they are digital natives through social media Identity theft, fraudulent investment schemes  Financial Institutions Financial institutions specialize in financial transactions. They are also called intermediaries because they stand between borrowers and lenders. They take deposits from savers (lenders) and give loans to borrowers. Financial Institutions Functions They create markets for debt (for borrowers and lenders). They facilitate the transfer of funds. They provide additional funds.  Banking financial institutions in Namibia Monetary authority in Namibia The Bank of Namibia (BON) mandated to support sustainable economic development through effective monetary policy and provide an inclusive and stable financial system for the benefit of all Namibians Commercial Banks regulated and supervised by BON The banking sector in Namibia comprises nine authorised banking institutions, which are categorised as seven commercial banking institutions, a branch of a foreign banking institution, and a representative office. These banking institutions are the primary mobilisers of funds for the public and the main source of financing for business operations and economic activities in Namibia. Bank Windhoek Limited First National Bank Namibia Limited Nedbank Namibia Limited Standard Bank Namibia Limited Bank BIC Namibia Limited Letshego Bank Namibia Limited Banco Atlantico (branch of foreign banking institution) Non-Banking institutions in Namibia Namfisa The Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (NAMFISA) was established in 2001 by an Act of Parliament. The new NAMFISA Act, 2021 (Act No.3 of 2021) further emphasises the Authority’s responsibility to regulate and supervise financial institutions, intermediaries, and financial services, monitor risks within the financial institutions and markets sector, exercise an oversight role over the micro-prudential practices, activities and policies, and advise the Minister of Finance on matters relating to financial institutions, intermediaries and financial services. Insurers (There are 16 registered insurers with Namfisa) Sanlam Old Mutual Santam Hollard Trustco Micro lenders, Medical aid funds and brokers are also regulated by Namfisa  Other financial institutions Agribank Development Bank of Namibia Nampost savings bank First Capita (Housing fund)  Functions of the Central Bank The most important financial institution in any country is the central bank. The Bank of Namibia is our central bank. Central banks perform the following functions: Banker of the government: BoN holds government funds and makes payment for government expenditure. It also deals with the issue of government securities to finance budget deficits (Government budgets more spending than there is revenue available to pay for the spending) Management of money and the banking system: The central bank is the backbone of the country’s financial system and is responsible for adapting the financial system to keep up with technological innovations. Custodian of banks’ reserves: It sets the level of reserves and acts as custodian of the reserves of banks. Lender of last resort to banks: If banks do not have sufficient funds to cover withdrawals, they can borrow from the BoN. The interest rate at which these loans are made is called the Repurchase or Repo Rate. …………Functions of the Bank of Namibia Clearing: BoN provides facilities for the clearing and settlement of inter-bank claims. Issuing notes and coins: BoN has the sole right to issue notes and coins in Namibia. Custodian of official reserves: BoN is the custodian of the country’s gold and foreign reserves. Implementing monetary policy: BoN is responsible for the implementation of monetary and exchange rate policy (manner in which a country manages its currency in respect to foreign currencies and the foreign exchange market). It is not autonomous in this regard, but will follow the SARB. Economic and statistical services: BoN collects processes and interprets economic statistics and other information. These statistics are published in the BoN’s Quarterly Bulletins and Annual Reports. External relations: BoN maintains relations with other central banks, international financial institutions and authorities.  Functions of Commercial Banks Banks are privately owned and profit seeking institutions. They perform the following functions: Taking deposits: Banks take deposits and use the money to finance lending. Money can be deposited in the following accounts: Current accounts Savings accounts Fixed deposits Granting credit and creating money: Banks lend money to their clients mainly by providing overdraft facilities on their accounts. Mortgage bonds and long term loans are also important functions of banks. Issuing credit instruments: Credit cards are examples of credit instruments. The also grant by lease agreements and hire purchase agreements.  ……………..Functions of commercial Banks Payment guarantees: If a contract requires a payment at a specific date, a bank can issue a guarantee that the payment will be made at that date. Buying and selling shares: A bank can be instructed to buy shares, through a registered stockbroker, for a client. The custodian function: At a fee, clients can keep valuable documents or jewelry in a bank’s safe. The administration function: Banks can help a client to draw up a will and can then be appointed as executors of the estate when the client dies. Assisting clients with foreign transactions: Banks can assist clients to arrange payments and to obtain funding abroad. They can also advise clients on exchange rates and conditions on international financial markets.  The Development Bank of Namibia https://www.dbn.com.na/ The Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) was created in October 2002 by an Act of Parliament to promote economic growth and social development in Namibia. The main functions of the DBN are as follows: It must encourage economic growth and development, increase productivity and improve the standard of living of people in underdeveloped areas. It must try to eliminate inequalities in the levels of economic development in the various regions. It must encourage investment of private and public capital and these funds must be applied in development. It must make finance available for important development needs.  Agribank of Namibia The Agricultural Bank of Namibia started way back in 1907 as Deutsch-Sudwest afrikanischer Farmerbund. In April 1922, the Land and Agricultural Bank of South West Africa was established. In 1944, the Landbank Act No. 13/1944, as amended, provided the legal framework for regulating the business of the Bank. In 1991, by virtue of the Agricultural Bank Amendment Act No. 27, the name Land and Agricultural Bank of South West Africa was changed to the Agricultural Bank of Namibia. The Agricultural Bank of Namibia Act No. 5 of 2003 as amended, was promulgated in order to expand the scope of business to capitalize on opportunities in the market and transform the institution into a more versatile and responsive to all stakeholders in order to meet the demands of the ever-changing business environment. The Government of the Republic of Namibia is the main shareholder in Agribank. To finance loans, the Agribank takes deposits from agricultural institutions, receives interest on investment and loans, arranges loans from the government and it can receive contributions from the government. The main function of Agribank is to provide agricultural finance: Long-term loans:. These loans can be used for improvements of farms, to buy livestock and farming equipment and the purchase of farmland. Medium-term loans: Loans are given to farmers for the purchase of livestock and agricultural equipment such as machinery, vehicles and tractors. Short-term loans: These loans are seasonal and enable crop farmers to purchase seeds, fertilizers and fuel.  Money Creation by Banks Banks take deposits from their clients and use the deposits to make loans to other individuals. They make profit by charging a higher interest on the money they lend out than they pay to the depositors. People accept the lower interest rates and keep their money in banks because this is safer and more convenient than other alternatives. Banks cannot lend out the total amount of deposits, but they are obliged to keep a certain percentage of all deposits with the Bank of Namibia in the form of cash reserves.  The reserve requirement Definition: The reserve requirement is the percentage of demand deposits banks are required to keep as cash reserves at the central bank. Banks keep the rest of the funds to pay depositors when they withdraw money. Banks know that depositors very seldom withdraw all their funds at the same time and they use these funds to give loans to borrowers. If banks give loans, the money supply will increase.  Money Supply Definition: The money supply is the quantity of money in circulation at any given time. The following example explains the money creation process via current accounts: John deposits N$1 000 at Standard Bank. The cash reserve requirement is 20%. Standard Bank gives a loan of N$800 to Bob. Standard Bank will have the following balance sheet: Assets Balance sheet Standard N$ Bank Liabilities N$ Cash reserves 200 Deposit John 1 000 Loan to Bob 800 TOTAL: 1 000 TOTAL: 1 000 Suppose Bob uses the loan to pay a debt to Sara and she deposits the money of N$800 in her account at Bank Windhoek. The original amount has risen to N$1 800 (N$1 000 + N$800) and the money creation process has started.  Assets sheet Bank Windhoek Balance N$ Liabilities N$ Cash reserves 160 Deposit Sara 800 Loan to Peter 640 TOTAL: 800 TOTAL: 800 The total increase in demand deposits is now N$1 000 + N$800 + N$640. The money creation process goes on and on. Each time a client deposits money and a new loan is made more money is created. We can determine how much money is eventually created by the banking system by adding the money created by each bank, but this is a long process. A shorter method is to use the credit (money) multiplier. The Multiplier Definition: The multiplier tells us how much money will ultimately be created by the banking system from an initial inflow of money. You can use the following formula to calculate the total amount of money that can be created by the initial deposit of N$1 000: 𝟏 𝑫= × 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝒃 𝟏 = × 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝟎. 𝟐 = 𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎 = 𝑵$𝟓𝟎𝟎𝟎 Where: D = total increase in demand deposits b = cash reserve requirement 𝟏 = credit multiplier 𝒃  The Multiplier The increase in the money supply thus depends on the credit multiplier. This size of the multiplier in turn is influenced by the cash reserve requirement. An increase in the cash reserve requirement from 20% to 25% will decrease the value of the multiplier from 5 to 4. 𝟏 𝟏 Multiplier = =𝟓 and = =𝟒 𝟎.𝟐 𝟎.𝟐𝟓 As the process of money creation continues, each bank receives less and less of the original deposit of N$1 000. The process comes to an end when there are no more surplus funds to lend out. If banks decide to hold excess reserves (i.e. more than they are required to hold) at the Bank of Namibia, it will decrease the multiplier in the same way as the required reserves.  Activity Calculate the value of the multiplier and the amount of money that can be created. Deposit: N$500 Reserve Requirement: Multiplier Increase in D 15% 10% 8% 4% 3% 2%  The Supply of Money The supply of money is made up of coins, notes and demand deposits. These are the items that are generally accepted as payment for goods and services. Formula: 𝑴 = 𝑪 + 𝑫 Where: M = money supply C = coins and notes D = demand deposits The Bank of Namibia uses two definitions of money to determine the quantity of money: M1:This consists of coins and notes in circulation plus all demand deposits with banking institutions. M2:This is referred to as the broad money supply and consists of M1 plus all short- and medium-term deposits. Note that all coins, notes and deposits held at the Bank of Namibia do not form part of the supply of money since they are not in circulation.  The Money Supply The supply of money can be influenced by foreign trade, international capital movements and by government transactions. Export earnings increase the money supply. Payments for imports decrease the money supply. Capital inflows increase the money supply. Capital outflows decrease the money supply. Money collected from taxes and deposited at the BoN decreases the money supply. Government expenditures increase the money supply. The supply of money The MS curve is perfectly inelastic because it is controlled by the central bank and not influenced by the interest rate. The Demand for Money The demand for money can be defined as the amount that the various participants in the economy plan to hold in the form of money balances.  The Classical Quantity Theory of Money The quantity theory of money assumes that any money received is spent directly or indirectly to buy goods and services, the so-called transactions demand. Classical economists believed that changes in the money supply affect the price level in the economy. In its simplest form it states that the general price level (P) depends on the money supply (M). We can express this theory as follows: MV = PQ Where: M = the money supply V = the velocity of money, i.e. the speed with which it circulates P = the average price level Q = the number of transactions that occurred during the year MV represents the total spending in the economy PQ represents the total value of all transactions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q59tZKP0HME  The Classical Quantity Theory of Money Two assumptions are; the velocity of money (V) is relatively stable and predictable in the short run Q is fixed in the short run If V and Q are constant, we could predict that changes in M will bring about changes in P. In other words, the quantity theory predicts that changes in the money supply will bring about proportional changes in the price level. Therefore, these economists believed that monetary policy can be used very effectively to control the total demand in the economy. Keynes’ Liquidity Preference Theory The classical view that money is demanded for transaction purposes was accepted for many years, but around 1930 Keynes formulated a new theory called the liquidity preference theory. Keynes identified three motives for holding money: the transaction motive the precautionary motive the speculative motive The first two explain why people hold money as a medium of exchange and the last one explains why people hold money as a store of value. Because money is the most liquid of all assets, he referred to the demand for money as the liquidity preference. The transaction motive We demand money as a medium of exchange. For instance, you need money for daily transactions such as buying petrol, groceries, cigarettes, newspapers, etc. Firms require money to buy materials, equipment and to pay for labour. This demand depends on income. The more income you earn, the more cash you will hold to buy goods and services. The precautionary motive We hold a certain amount of money for unexpected expenses, such as a car breaking down or illness of a family member. Businesses and households provide for unpredictable expenditures over and above the normal expenditures. This motive also depends on people’s income. The transaction motive and the precautionary motive indicate that money can be used actively.  The speculative motive The third reason why people demand money, according to Keynes, is the speculative motive. The speculative motive shows that money is used passively. In this case people hold money as a financial asset. The choice between holding financial assets in the form of money or bonds will depend on the interest rate. The opportunity cost of holding money is the interest that could be earned by holding bonds. This is because people can earn interest on bonds, while little or no interest is earned by holding money. The speculative demand for money is therefore influenced by the interest rate. If the interest rate is high, the speculative demand for money will be lower as people will prefer to hold bonds. If the interest rate is low, the speculative demand for money will be higher as people will hold more money and fewer bonds. The speculative demand for money is, therefore, inversely related to the interest rate. Demand for active and passive balances The diagram shows the demand for active balances (transactions and precautionary motives) and passive balances (speculative motive). The curve D1M1 represents the active balances, in other words money we use as medium of exchange. The vertical curve simply means that the demand for active balances is not sensitive to interest rates. The curve D2 shows that there is an inverse correlation between the interest rate and the speculative demand for money. The total demand for money will be the sum of the transaction-, precautionary- and speculative demand for money. The total demand for money curve is illustrated below. Total demand for money To summarize we can say that according to Keynes the level of income as well as the interest rate determine the total demand for money. Equilibrium in the Money Market According to the liquidity preference theory, the interest rate adjusts to balance the demand and supply of money. Equilibrium in the Money Market The diagram shows that money market equilibrium is reached at point E where the interest rate is 10%. At the equilibrium interest rate, the quantity of money demanded is equal to the quantity of money supplied. If the interest rate is above the equilibrium interest rate: The quantity of money demanded is less than the quantity supplied by the Bank of Namibia and, People holding surplus money will buy interest-bearing bonds or deposit the money in an interest-bearing account. Bond issuers and banks respond to this by lowering the interest rates they offer. At lower interest rates people become more willing to hold money until at the equilibrium interest rate they hold exactly the same amount that the Bank of Namibia has supplied. Equilibrium in the Money Market At interest rates below the equilibrium level: The quantity of money that people want to hold is greater than the quantity supplied by the Bank of Namibia. People will reduce their holdings of bonds and try to increase their holdings of money. interest rates will increase to attract buyers. The Bank of Namibia can use monetary policy to influence the supply of money. In such a case the equilibrium point will change. Managing the Supply of Money The supply of money curve is a vertical line. The reason for this is because the central bank controls the supply of money by using monetary policy. Definition: Monetary policy can be defined as the measures taken by the monetary authorities (central bank) to influence the money supply or the rate of interest to achieve stable prices, full employment and economic growth. The monetary authority in Namibia is the Bank of Namibia. Objectives of monetary policy: Relative price stability Stable and full employment of the labor force A satisfactory economic growth rate Equilibrium in the balance of payments and a fairly stable exchange rate Monetary policy can be restrictive or expansionary. Restrictive (contractionary) monetary policy: These measures are used to combat inflation and will be aimed at decreasing the money supply. It tends to raise interest rates and reduce income. Expansionary monetary policy: These measures are used to stimulate the economy during a slump or recession and high unemployment and will be aimed at increasing the money supply. It tends to reduce interest rates and increase income. The instruments of monetary policy Definition: A monetary policy instrument is a tool that central banks use to achieve their operational targets. They can be divided into indirect measures and direct measures.  Indirect Measures Repo rate The Repo rate: The Repo rate is the interest rate at which commercial banks borrow money from the Bank of Namibia. Changes in the Repo rate affect all other interest rates in the economy. Banks borrow from the central bank when their reserves are low or if they need more money to give loans. This is where the Bank of Namibia functions as ‘lender of last resort’. Restrictive (contractionary) policy: The Bank of Namibia will increase the Repo rate. Commercial banks will increase their prime lending rates and the cost of borrowing will increase. Persons who already have loans will pay more interest on these loans and will have less money to spend. The private sector will borrow less at higher interest rates, i.e. less money will be created. The supply of money will decrease. Expansionary policy The BoN will decrease the Repo rate. Commercial banks will decrease their prime lending rate and the cost of borrowing will decrease. Existing loans will become cheaper and leave borrowers with more money for spending. The private sector will borrow more and more money will be created. The supply of money will increase.  The reserve requirement Definition: The reserve requirement is the percentage of demand deposits banks are required to keep as cash reserves at the central bank. Banks keep the rest of the funds to pay depositors when they withdraw money. Banks know that depositors very seldom withdraw all their funds at the same time and they use these funds to give loans to borrowers. If banks give loans, the money supply will increase. The reserve requirement is the percentage of a bank’s deposits that must be kept at the central bank. The aim of the reserve requirement is to limit the ability of banks to create money and to protect depositors. The reserve requirement determines the value of the credit multiplier and changes in the reserve requirement will change the value of the multiplier. Suppose the reserve requirement is 10%. The value of the multiplier will then be 10 (1/0.10). A N$1 000 deposit can be increased to N$10 000 (10 x N$1 000 = N$10 000). Restrictive policy The Bank of Namibia will increase the reserve requirement. The value of the multiplier will decrease and less money can be created. The supply of money will decrease. Example: Suppose the reserve requirement is increased to 12%. This will reduce the value of the multiplier to 8.3 (1/0.12) and a deposit of N$1 000 will be increased to only N$8 300 (8.3 x N$1 000). Expansionary policy The BoN will reduce the reserve requirement. The value of the multiplier will increase and more money can be created. The supply of money will increase. Example: Suppose the reserve requirement is reduced to 8%. The value of the multiplier will increase to 12.5 (1/0.08) and a deposit of N$1 000 will be increased to N$12 500 (12.5 x 1 000).  Open market operations Open market operations refer to a central bank’s buying and selling of government securities on the ‘open’ market to influence the liquidity of banks, the money supply and the interest rate. Terms: A security is a credit instrument e.g. a government bond. The primary market is a market where stocks and bonds are issued for the first time. A secondary market is a market where previously issued securities are traded. Open market operations occur in the secondary market. Restrictive (contractionary) policy: The BoN will sell government securities on the open market. If a commercial bank buys the securities, the central bank will deduct the selling price from the bank’s reserves. This will reduce the bank’s reserves and its ability to give loans and create money. The supply of money will decrease. To encourage banks to buy, BoN will decrease the price of the securities and this will cause interest rates to increase. Expansionary policy: BoN will buy government securities on the open market. The reserves of banks will increase and they will be able to give more loans and create money. The supply of money will increase. To encourage banks to sell, the BoN will increase the price of the securities and this will lead to lower interest rates. Activity What would happen to the money supply in each of the following cases, ceteris paribus? 1. The BON lowers the required cash reserve ratio from 5% to 4%. 2. The Executive Committee of the BON raises the repo rate. 3. Suppose BON pursues an aggressive open market policy by purchasing government bonds. What will happen to (a) the price of bonds and (b) the interest rate? 4. If you expect that interest rates are going to fall, would you hold cash or buy bonds?  Direct measures In addition to the policy instruments discussed above, the monetary authorities can use a number of other direct policy instruments. 1. Credit Ceilings The central bank can restrict the amount of loans that banks may give to the private sector. 2. Interest Rate Control Limits can be placed on both deposit rates and lending rates. If this measure is used, interest rates do not reflect demand and supply conditions in the market. 3. Regulating Consumer Credit This measure refers to credit agreements such as hire purchases. It regulates the term of repayment, the percentage of the purchase price that must be paid as a deposit and the classes of goods that are affected. 4. Moral Persuasion The Bank of Namibia can use discussions, explanation and persuasion to prompt banks and other financial institutions to help achieving monetary policy goals.  Monetary Policy versus Fiscal policy Experience has shown that fiscal policy tends to be more successful to stimulate the economy when there is unemployment is a problem while monetary policy has been more effective to cool down an overheated economy and curb inflation.  Monetary Policy Practice in Namibia The ultimate objective of monetary policy in Namibia is to maintain a fixed exchange rate agreement with South Africa where the Namibian dollar is pegged to the South African rand at a 1:1 ratio. Under a fixed exchange rate regime, the primary goal of a Central Bank is to defend the peg. By defending the peg, the ultimate goals of price stability and growth are attained indirectly. Namibia does not have a completely independent monetary system but it can control domestic money supply and keep its Repo rate slightly different from South Africa’s Repo rate if local economic conditions so demand.  Monetary Policy Practice in Namibia The main instrument is the Repo rate but BoN also uses open market operations. There is no formal operational target, but the BoN monitors the level of official reserves, as the fixed currency peg requires the country to fully back its currency in circulation with international reserves. The Monetary Policy Committee is responsible for the formulation of monetary policy in Namibia and meets every two months to deliberate on monetary policy issues. Its members are the Governor, Deputy-Governor, Technical Advisor to the Governor and three staff members based on their expertise.  Monetary Policy Practice in Namibia Watch this video on the explanation of Monetary policy by The Bank of Namibia: 1. https://youtu.be/IE3Ru6vXl6k 2. https://youtu.be/Q1vUXI9RPMc  Terms Supply of money: The quantity of money in circulation at any given time. Liquidity: The ease with which an asset can be converted into money. Demand deposits: Balances in bank accounts that depositors can access on demand. Legal tender: Anything that creditors are required to accept as payment for debt. It is declared as legal tender by the government. The value of money: This is reflected by its purchasing power. The higher the price level, the fewer goods and services can be purchased with each dollar. Interest: The payment made for the use of money. Interest rate: The amount of interest paid per unit of time and expressed as a percentage of the amount borrowed. T H E E N D.. Questions???