instigate (verb) 

To instigate (IN-stih-gate) is to bring about or initiate an action or event. As I used it today: “Like every crash I’ve mentioned, [the “Great Recession” crash of 2008/2009] followed a long-term bull market (from 2002 to 2007). Also like the others, it was instigated by speculation. Not so much by speculation in conventional stocks, but by the widespread use of mortgage-backed securities in the housing sector.”