Repurchase agreement (Repo)

A form of short-term borrowing used primarily by dealers in government securities. The dealer sells the government securities to investors, usually on an overnight basis, and buys them back the following day.  For the party selling the security (and agreeing to repurchase it in the future) it is a repo; for the party on the other end of the transaction, (buying the security and agreeing to sell in the future) it is a reverse repurchase agreement.