Chapter IX Summary and Analysis

Livingston sees the market has been rallying. He sets out to prove this is just a temporary rally, waiting until the right moment and then selling stocks. The other traders think he will lose. However, he is right—the market drops. Later, he gets a further indication that companies and traders are trying to create a market turn-around, and he thinks it is not time yet. He again begins selling stocks. At this point he is at the top of his game, predicting market movements accurately and making a lot of money for himself and his brokerage. The market continues to slide, and there are signs the banking sectors may be affected. Funds start to dry up, which causes great concern in the railroad sector as companies compete for what capital there is.

Ultimately, there is a financial...