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Episode 598: The Very First Short

The first stock exchange was on this bridge
The first stock exchange was on this bridge

We decided to experience firsthand what it's like to short something — bet that something will go down in value. You can short individual stocks. But we decided to go big. We make what one expert calls the "Armageddon Trade." We shorted the entire stock market. We shorted America.

So far, America is winning. And we are losing.

There have been short sellers throughout history. Today on the show, we tell the story of a man who was the very first short seller. The very first person to bet that a stock will go down. It does not go well for him.

Music: Architecture In Helsinki's "Maybe You Can Owe Me." Find us: Twitter/ Facebook/ Spotify/ Tumblr.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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