Best of
Finance

2008

Dave Ramseys Financial Peace University Membership Kit


Dave Ramsey - 2008
    fiancial planner membership kit.

The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life


Alice Schroeder - 2008
    The legendary Omaha investor has never written a memoir, but now he has allowed one writer, Alice Schroeder, unprecedented access to explore directly with him and with those closest to him his work, opinions, struggles, triumphs, follies, and wisdom. The result is the personally revealing and complete biography of the man known everywhere as “The Oracle of Omaha.”Although the media track him constantly, Buffett himself has never told his full life story. His reality is private, especially by celebrity standards. Indeed, while the homespun persona that the public sees is true as far as it goes, it goes only so far. Warren Buffett is an array of paradoxes. He set out to prove that nice guys can finish first. Over the years he treated his investors as partners, acted as their steward, and championed honesty as an investor, CEO, board member, essayist, and speaker. At the same time he became the world’s richest man, all from the modest Omaha headquarters of his company Berkshire Hathaway. None of this fits the term “simple.”When Alice Schroeder met Warren Buffett she was an insurance industry analyst and a gifted writer known for her keen perception and business acumen. Her writings on finance impressed him, and as she came to know him she realized that while much had been written on the subject of his investing style, no one had moved beyond that to explore his larger philosophy, which is bound up in a complex personality and the details of his life. Out of this came his decision to cooperate with her on the book about himself that he would never write.Never before has Buffett spent countless hours responding to a writer’s questions, talking, giving complete access to his wife, children, friends, and business associates—opening his files, recalling his childhood. It was an act of courage, as The Snowball makes immensely clear. Being human, his own life, like most lives, has been a mix of strengths and frailties. Yet notable though his wealth may be, Buffett’s legacy will not be his ranking on the scorecard of wealth; it will be his principles and ideas that have enriched people’s lives. This book tells you why Warren Buffett is the most fascinating American success story of our time.

Financial Intelligence for Entrepreneurs: What You Really Need to Know About the Numbers


Karen Berman - 2008
    You'll discover:Why the assumptions behind financial data matter- What income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements really reveal- How to use ratios to assess your venture's financial health- How to calculate return on your investments in your enterprise- Ways to use financial information to do your own job better- How to instill financial intelligence throughout your teamAuthoritative and accessible, Financial Intelligence for Entrepreneurs empowers you to "talk numbers" confidently with colleagues, partners, and employees-- and fully understand how to use financial data to make better decisions for your business.

Behavioral Investment Counseling


Nick Murray - 2008
    Is this your leisure? Just what will you do then? Having extra or spare time is extremely amazing. You can do every little thing without force. Well, we intend you to spare you few time to review this e-book Behavioral Investment Counseling By Nick Murray This is a god e-book to accompany you in this leisure time. You will not be so tough to know something from this e-book Behavioral Investment Counseling By Nick Murray A lot more, it will assist you to obtain better details and also encounter. Also you are having the excellent tasks, reviewing this e-book Behavioral Investment Counseling By Nick Murray will not include your mind.

Taxes Made Simple: Income Taxes Explained in 100 Pages or Less


Mike Piper - 2008
    the standard deduction Several money-saving deductions and credits and how to make sure you qualify for them How to calculate your refund How to know which tax forms to fill out State income taxes Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) Capital Gains and Losses

Technical Analysis for Mega Profit


Edianto Ong - 2008
    

A Practical Guide to Quantitative Finance Interviews


Xinfeng Zhou - 2008
    In this book we analyze solutions to more than 200 real interview problems and provide valuable insights into how to ace quantitative interviews. The book covers a variety of topics that you are likely to encounter in quantitative interviews: brain teasers, calculus, linear algebra, probability, stochastic processes and stochastic calculus, finance and programming.

The Holy Grail of Macroeconomics: Lessons from Japan's Great Recession


Richard C. Koo - 2008
    The discoveries made, however, are so far-reaching that a large portion of economics literature will have to be modified to accommodate another half to the macro economic spectrum of possibilities that conventional theorists have overlooked. In particular, Japan's Great Recession showed that when faced with a massive fall in asset prices, companies typically jettison the conventional goal of profit maximization and move to minimize debt in order to restore their credit ratings. This shift in corporate priority, however, has huge theoretical as well as practical implications and opens up a whole new field of study. For example, the new insight can explain fully the precise mechanism of prolonged depression and liquidity trap which conventional economics - based on corporate profit maximization - has so far failed to offer as a convincing explanation. The author developed the idea of yin and yang business cycles where the conventional world of profit maximization is the yang and the world of balance sheet recession, where companies are minimizing debt, is the yin. Once so divided, many varied theories developed in macro economics since the 1930s can be nicely categorized into a single comprehensive theory, i.e., the Holy Grail of macro economics The policy implication of this new discovery is immense in that the conventional aversion to fiscal policy in favor of monetary policy will have to be completely reversed when the economy is in the yin phase. The theoretical implications are also immense in the sense that the economics profession will no longer have to rely so much on various rigidities to explain recessions that have become the standard practice within the so-called New Keynesian economics of the last twenty years.

The Advanced Guide to Real Estate Investing: How to Identify the Hottest Markets and Secure the Best Deals


Ken McElroy - 2008
    Picking up where he left off in the 'ABC's of Real Estate Investing', he reveals the next essential lessons and info that investors won't want to miss.

Technical Analysis Using Multiple Timeframes


Brian Shannon - 2008
    How to enter established trends at low risk, high profit levels Recognize and profit from the cyclical flow of capital through all markets Estimating profit potential in a trade Correct stop placement for preservation of capital and maximization of winners Tips on how to recognize and control costly emotional decisions Why fundamental analysis matters Brokerage firm dirty tricks to profit from your account with hidden fees Learn to anticipate rather than react to price movement Specific strategies for entering, managing and exiting long and short trades Short squeeze dynamics How to properly analyze and use volume and moving averages When the Level 2 screen is helpful And Much More!

Trading Option Greeks: How Time, Volatility, and Other Pricing Factors Drive Profit


Dan Passarelli - 2008
    With an introduction to option basics as well as chapters on all types of spreads, put-call parity and synthetic options, trading volatility and studying volatility charts, and advanced option trading, Trading Option Greeks holds pertinent new information on how more accurate pricing can drive profit. Most options traders focus on strategies such as covered calls, vertical spreads, butterflies and condors, and so on. But traders often don't know how to use the "greeks"--the five factors that influence an option's price--to trade more effectively.The "greeks" (Delta, Gamma, Theta, Vega, Rho) are tools to measure minute changes in an option's price based on corresponding changes in:Interest rates Time to expiration Price changes in the underlying security Volatility Dividends Using the greeks can lead to more accurate pricing information that will alert an option trader to mispriced derivatives that can be exploited for profit. In straightforward language and making use of charts and examples, Passarelli explains how to use the greeks to be a better options trader.

The Origin of Financial Crises: Central Banks, Credit Bubbles, and the Efficient Market Fallacy


George Cooper - 2008
    With great skill, he examines the very foundations of today's economic philosophy and adds a compelling analysis of the forces behind economic crisis. His goal is nothing less than preventing the seemingly endless procession of damaging boom-bust cycles, unsustainable economic bubbles, crippling credit crunches, and debilitating inflation. His direct, conscientious, and honest approach will captivate any reader and is an invaluable aid in understanding today's economy.

Van Tharp's Definitive Guide To Position Sizing


Van K. Tharp - 2008
    How to Evaluate Your System and Use Position Sizing to Meet Your Objectives - Size *does* matter in the markets

Volatility Trading (Wiley Trading)


Euan Sinclair - 2008
    With an accessible, straightforward approach. He guides traders through the basics of option pricing, volatility measurement, hedging, money management, and trade evaluation. In addition, Sinclair explains the often-overlooked psychological aspects of trading, revealing both how behavioral psychology can create market conditions traders can take advantage of-and how it can lead them astray. Psychological biases, he asserts, are probably the drivers behind most sources of edge available to a volatility trader. Your goal, Sinclair explains, must be clearly defined and easily expressed-if you cannot explain it in one sentence, you probably aren't completely clear about what it is. The same applies to your statistical edge. If you do not know exactly what your edge is, you shouldn't trade. He shows how, in addition to the numerical evaluation of a potential trade, you should be able to identify and evaluate the reason why implied volatility is priced where it is, that is, why an edge exists. This means it is also necessary to be on top of recent news stories, sector trends, and behavioral psychology. Finally, Sinclair underscores why trades need to be sized correctly, which means that each trade is evaluated according to its projected return and risk in the overall context of your goals. As the author concludes, while we also need to pay attention to seemingly mundane things like having good execution software, a comfortable office, and getting enough sleep, it is knowledge that is the ultimate source of edge. So, all else being equal, the trader with the greater knowledge will be the more successful. This book, and its companion CD-ROM, will provide that knowledge. The CD-ROM includes spreadsheets designed to help you forecast volatility and evaluate trades together with simulation engines.

The Top 10 Habits of Millionaires: A Simple Path to Wealth and Fulfillment


Keith Cameron Smith - 2008
    Following Keith Cameron Smith's smart and sensible advice will help readers achieve long-sought financial - and emotional - abundance.

It's Not About the Money: Unlock Your Money Type to Achieve Spiritual and Financial Abundance


Brent Kessel - 2008
    It's Not About the Money expertly and compassionately guides you along the path to financial security and true peace of mind.Kessel, founder of two top wealth-management firms, has the inside scoop on the higher wisdom of personal finances, and he wants to share it with you. Through extensive experience as a financial advisor and spiritual seeker, Kessel has discovered that people need to understand their core financial story in order to make meaningful changes. Some of us are savers or caretakers, says Kessel, while others are pleasure seekers and spend like Hollywood stars; some people are idealists who place greater value on creativity or compassion than on financial security; some of us innocently believe our finances will work out without effort; and others obsess about building empires with lasting value. It's Not About the Money will help you identify your money type, providing information and resources as well as exercises and meditations to inspire a fresh approach to your relationship with money that will change your life.

Mr. Market Miscalculates: The Bubble Years and Beyond


James Grant - 2008
    The how we got here is brilliantly described in a collection of pieces from Grant's Interest Rate Observer, the Wall Street insider's Bible. The where we are going is treated in Jim Grant's up-to-the-minute introduction. No fan of Greenspan or Bernanke, Grant tells the unvarnished truth about America.

From Lucky to Smart: Leadership Lessons from Quiktrip


Chester Cadieux - 2008
    From the trials of rapid expansion to the groundbreaking introduction of self-service fountain drinks, Cadieux honestly explores the importance of addressing constant changes in the marketplace. He also underscores the importance of recognizing that the people serving the public the store employees are the heart of the organization.

The Ultimate Dividend Playbook: Income, Insight and Independence for Today's Investor


Josh Peters - 2008
    But how many investors have the time, talent, and luck to earn consistent returns this way? In The Ultimate Dividend Playbook: Income, Insight, and Independence for Today's Investor, Josh Peters, editor of the monthly Morningstar DividendInvestor newsletter, shows you why you don't have to try to beat the market and how you can use dividends to capture the income and growth you seek.

Corporate Finance: Theory and Practice


Pierre Vernimmen - 2008
    It will also have a large market amongst corporate finance practitioners. It describes the theory and practice of Corporate Finance showing how to use financial theory to solve practical problems from a truly European perspective. Section one includes financial analysis which is not included in any other corporate finance textbook.

Dishonest Money: Financing the Road to Ruin


Joseph Plummer - 2008
    Each topic is explained in simple / common language: The Federal Reserve System, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank; who created them and who benefits?Inflation, deflation, booms, busts, BAILOUTS, depressions and recessions; what are they, what causes them and who benefits?Honest money VS dishonest money: how are they different and who benefits?By the end of this short book, the reader will be familiar with these terms, will know "who benefits" and (more importantly) will know who ultimately pays the price...

Facilitating Financial Health: Tools for Financial Planners, Coaches, and Therapists


Brad Klontz - 2008
    It combines the interior, emotional aspects of finance with exterior financial knowledge and provides the advisor with an expanded set of tools for working with clients to create and maintain financial health. Facilitating Financial Health integrates the fields of psychotherapy, coaching, and financial planning, equipping financial professionals with techniques to enhance their effectiveness by working with both the exterior and interior aspects of a client s financial health. Integrated financial planning encourages you to think beyond the traditional boundaries of your practice and to serve clients far more effectively. Includes a "Decision Tree" with guidelines for deciding when it is appropriate for planners to work with client's interior issues themselves and when it is appropriate to refer clients to or partner with coaches or therapists. Praise for Facilitating Financial Health "This is an essential handbook written by some of the most experienced and eloquent experts in the new field of Integrated Financial Planning. Reading Facilitating Financial Health is like taking a multi-day workshop with master facilitators. Each chapter contains fresh insights into client challenges and practical how-to s for facilitating positive change." Susan Bradley, CFP Founder of the Sudden Money Institute "Facilitating Financial Health provides the knowledge, tools, and guidelines needed to be a catalyst of positive change. I highly recommend this book." Carol Anderson, M.S. Founder and President, Money Quotient "Facilitating Financial Health is a book to help the helpers financial professionals, debt counselors, life coaches and psychotherapists to help their clients." Richard Trachtman, Ph.D. Director, MORE Services for MOney & RElationships "If you want to help clients overcome destructive financial habits and dysfunctional belief systems, then this book will be an invaluable resource. A must read for all change agents!" David B. Yeske, CFP Past President, Financial Planning Association "This is a must read for any professional helping a client on a life or money issue, as these issues are so intertwined." Hugh Massie Author of Financial DNA: Discover Your Unique Financial Personality for a Quality Life "No financial planner, money coach, debt counselor, or money therapist should be without this valuable resource." April Lane Benson, Ph.D. Founder, Stopping Overshopping, LLC "Klontz, Kahler, and Klontz, regarded as pioneers in the field of money matters, offer us long overdue insights into helping our clients understand and change their self-destructive money behaviors. Courtney Pullen, M.A., LPC CEO, Pullen Consulting "An exciting exploration of the interface between two dynamic fields finance and psychology." Pat DeLeon, Ph.D., J.D. Former President, American Psychological Association

The Gone Fishin' Portfolio: Get Wise, Get Wealthy--And Get on with Your Life


Alexander Green - 2008
    One that will yield market-beating portfolio returns in both good times and bad. The Gone Fishin' Portfolio shows you what that strategy is, how it works, and why you should begin using it immediately.The innovative approach outlined throughout these pages will help investors enjoy a notably high probability of success by using an investment strategy based on the notion that nobody knows what the market is likely to do next, which, in effect, allows investors to capitalize on uncertainty.Details one of the safest and simplest ways to reach your long-term financial goals, and explores the financial and psychological challenges you're likely to face in the years ahead The "Gone Fishin' Portfolio" is based on a Nobel Prize-winning investment strategy that takes just twenty minutes to implement Discusses the relationship between risk and reward in financial markets, and reveals how the investment industry really works The Gone Fishin' Portfolio will allow you to reach your most important investment goals, beat Wall Street at its own game, and achieve the financial independence you deserve.

International Financial Statement Analysis Workbook


Thomas R. Robinson - 2008
    This companion study guide contains carefully constructed problems with detailed solutions as well as concise learning outcome statements and summary chapter overviews. With this Workbook, you can test your understanding of the many issues associated with this discipline, before putting them to use in real-world situations. If you intend on acquiring a practical mastery of international financial statement analysis, this informative guide can help you succeed.

International Financial Statement Analysis


Thomas R. Robinson - 2008
    Along the way, you'll also discover how different financial analysis techniques--such as ratio analysis and common-size financial statements--can provide valuable clues into a company's operations and risk characteristics.

Market Risk Analysis, Practical Financial Econometrics


Carol Alexander - 2008
    It introduces the econometric techniques that are commonly applied to finance with a critical and selective exposition, emphasising the areas of econometrics, such as GARCH, cointegration and copulas that are required for resolving problems in market risk analysis. The book covers material for a one-semester graduate course in applied financial econometrics in a very pedagogical fashion as each time a concept is introduced an empirical example is given, and whenever possible this is illustrated with an Excel spreadsheet. All together, the Market Risk Analysis four volume set illustrates virtually every concept or formula with a practical, numerical example or a longer, empirical case study. Across all four volumes there are approximately 300 numerical and empirical examples, 400 graphs and figures and 30 case studies many of which are contained in interactive Excel spreadsheets available from the the accompanying CD-ROM . Empirical examples and case studies specific to this volume include:Factor analysis with orthogonal regressions and using principal component factors; Estimation of symmetric and asymmetric, normal and Student t GARCH and E-GARCH parameters; Normal, Student t, Gumbel, Clayton, normal mixture copula densities, and simulations from these copulas with application to VaR and portfolio optimization; Principal component analysis of yield curves with applications to portfolio immunization and asset/liability management; Simulation of normal mixture and Markov switching GARCH returns; Cointegration based index tracking and pairs trading, with error correction and impulse response modelling; Markov switching regression models (Eviews code); GARCH term structure forecasting with volatility targeting; Non-linear quantile regressions with applications to hedging.

A Primer For The Mathematics Of Financial Engineering


Dan Stefanica - 2008
    The financial applications in the book range from basics such as the Put-Call parity, bond duration and convexity, and the Black-Scholes model, to more advanced topics, such as numerical estimation of the Greeks, implied volatility, and bootstrapping for finding interest rate curves. On the mathematical side, useful but sometimes overlooked topics are presented in detail: differentiating integrals with respect to nonconstant integral limits, numerical approximation of definite integrals, convergence of Taylor series expansions, finite difference approximations, Stirling's formula, Lagrange multipliers, polar coordinates, Newton's method for higher dimensional problems. Every chapter concludes with exercises that are a mix of mathematical and financial questions, with comments regarding their relevance to practice and to more advanced topics.

Security Analysis


David L. Dodd - 2008
    BuffettFirst published in 1934, Security Analysis is one of the most influential financial books ever written. Selling more than one million copies through five editions, it has provided generations of investors with the timeless value investing philosophy and techniques of Benjamin Graham and David L. Dodd.As relevant today as when they first appeared nearly 75 years ago, the teachings of Benjamin Graham, “the father of value investing,” have withstood the test of time across a wide diversity of market conditions, countries, and asset classes.This new sixth edition, based on the classic 1940 version, is enhanced with 200 additional pages of commentary from some of today’s leading Wall Street money managers. These masters of value investing explain why the principles and techniques of Graham and Dodd are still highly relevant even in today’s vastly different markets. The contributor list includes:Seth A. Klarman, president of The Baupost Group, L.L.C. and author of Margin of SafetyJames Grant, founder of Grant's Interest Rate Observer, general partner of Nippon PartnersJeffrey M. Laderman, twenty-five year veteran of BusinessWeekRoger Lowenstein, author of Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist and When America Aged and Outside Director, Sequoia FundHoward S. Marks, CFA, Chairman and Co-Founder, Oaktree Capital Management L.P.J. Ezra Merkin, Managing Partner, Gabriel Capital Group .Bruce Berkowitz, Founder, Fairholme Capital Management.Glenn H. Greenberg, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Chieftain Capital ManagementBruce Greenwald, Robert Heilbrunn Professor of Finance and Asset Management, Columbia Business SchoolDavid Abrams, Managing Member, Abrams CapitalFeaturing a foreword by Warren E. Buffett (in which he reveals that he has read the 1940 masterwork “at least four times”), this new edition of Security Analysis will reacquaint you with the foundations of value investing—more relevant than ever in the tumultuous 21st century markets. (20080617)

English for the Financial Sector Teacher's Book


Ian MacKenzie - 2008
    English for the Financial Sector also focuses on the communication skills necessary for working effectively within the industry. It covers a wide range of financial topics, including retail and investment banking, accounting, trade finance, and mergers and acquisitions. The Teacher's Book offers valuable background information on financial topics to help teachers prepare for lessons. A Student's Book and Audio CD are also available.

Payment Systems: From the Salt Mines to the Board Room


Dominique Rambure - 2008
    Payment systems are changing profoundly through regulation, technology and competition from new entrants. This is a comprehensive introduction and reference on payment systems, covering their structure, international systems and settlements, and focusing on electronic transfers. It concludes with the future of the payments business.

Guide to Financial Management


John Tennent - 2008
    Few nonfinancial specialists are prepared for the responsibilities of dealing with management reports, budgets, and capital proposals. Many find themselves confused by jargon and embarrassed by their lack of understanding.Guide to Financial Management is a practical resource for understanding and managing these financial responsibilities. It is structured by task, such as ?how to assemble a budget? or ?how to construct a proposal to invest in new equipment.?John Tennent?who has worked with such major companies as Kraft, Thomson, British Airways, Unilever, and Universal Music?helps the reader understand financial jargon, financial statements, performance measures, budgeting, costing, pricing, decision making, and investment appraisals?all of which are key to being a successful manager.

Short Term Trading Strategies That Work


Larry Connors - 2008
    These strategies have been both back-tested up to 1995, but also have been traded by Larry and his team under multiple market conditions. This is the must have book for anyone seeking to improve their trading in any market condition. You'll see strategies and methods which you've likely never seen before, all of which are statistically backed by more than a decade's worth of research. The Single Best Oscillator for Traders Do you know what's the best oscillator to use for your trading? In Chapter 9 you'll learn the one oscillator Larry believes is the closest to being the holy grail of oscillators. And you'll see the test results when applied to over 77,000 trades since 1995! How to Make Your Trading Edges Even Bigger On pages 39-48, Larry will teach you the one simple technique to help make your daily trading edges even greater. Learn to Properly Trade ETFs Larry teaches you some of his best strategies to trade popular ETFs like the SPYs, QQQQ's and many of the more actively traded ETFs. Professionals are flocking to ETFs and now you'll have in your possession statistically backed ETF strategies you'll be able to apply for years to come. How to Trade Using the VIX Do you use the VIX to time your trades? You'll learn numerous ways to use the VIX, many which have been over 70% correct going back more than a decade. "Larry has done it again. He delivers an insightful handbook of practical, useful and timeless methods to profit in the market." Tony Saliba, CEO of BNY ConvergEx LiquidPoint; Profiled in Market Wizards The Mind Trading is as mentally tough as any profession in the world. Now learn from a world class expert, who Larry interviewed on extreme psychological training and what it takes to succeed not only in trading but in all walks of life. Learn how to improve your trading results by purchasing Short Term Trading Strategies That Work today!

Fiat Paper Money, the history and evolution of our currency


Ralph T. Foster - 2008
    The history and evolution of our currency.traces the rise and "inevitable fall" of every paper currency that has every existed, save the most recent ones that are collapse, and or still exist

Seasonal Stock Market Trends: The Definitive Guide to Calendar-Based Stock Market Trading


Jay Kaeppel - 2008
    Seasonality offers a practical approach to investing and trading. What better way to learn how to employ seasonal systems than learning from Jay Kaeppel, a master in the analysis of seasonal trends? Kaeppel walks you through this phenomenon that continues to work consistently, providing you with his ultimate seasonal index to make the calendar work for you. Stock Market Seasonals provides a never-before-seen definitive guide that illustrates how to utilize a combination of four basic seasonal tendencies in order to maximize returns.

Entrepreneur Journeys: Bootstrapping: Weapon Of Mass Reconstruction


Sramana Mitra - 2008
    And core to the success of entrepreneurial ventures today is the invigorating art of bootstrapping. Sramana Mitra--a serial entrepreneur, strategy consultant and Forbes columnist--takes aim at this essential route along the roadmap to startup success with Entrepreneur Journeys, Volume Two: Bootstrapping: Weapon of Mass Reconstruction. Along with the incisive analysis and commentary that have popularized her blog and Forbes columns, Mitra showcases a dozen successful entrepreneurs and their lessons from the bootstrapping trenches. Overflowing with lively entrepreneurial tangents, theories, and behind-closed-doors-experience, the book rises to the level of economic policy discussion while simultaneously offering practical advice from experienced bootstrappers. Important issues like doing more with less, getting started with little or no capital, and validating the market on the cheap are discussed with the likes of Om Malik of GigaOm and Greg Gianforte of RightNow. In her characteristic narrative style, Mitra shepherds established and aspiring entrepreneurs through a territory she hopes will be claimed by many more in the years to come. "From my perspective it is clear that small business must be a top priority," explains Mitra. "Let us hope that in the coming decade the number of small businesses will double, then triple and quadruple. For here is the most powerful engine of economic growth and sustenance. Here is our way back."

Entrepreneurial Finance: Finance and Business Strategies for the Serious Entrepreneur


Steven Rogers - 2008
    In this guide to setting up and managing the financial aspects of a business, Steven Rogers covers all the major topics - from writing a growth business plan and compiling and understanding financial statements to making a company profitable, valuing a company, and raising additional venture capital.

Back To School: Question & Answer Session With Business Students


Warren Buffett - 2008
    Warren Buffett, including the most interesting things Buffett had to say, as well as things you have never heard him say anywhere else! Addressing topics ranging from "Keys to Investment Success," to "Keys to Avoiding Trouble and Leading a Happy Life," this book is a must-read for business-minded people, young and old.

Quant Job Interview Questions And Answers


Mark Joshi - 2008
    Each question comes with a full detailed solution, discussion of what the interviewer is seeking and possible follow-up questions. Topics covered include option pricing, probability, mathematics, numerical algorithms and C++, as well as a discussion of the interview process and the non-technical interview. Mark Joshi wrote the popular introductory textbooks "the Concepts and Practice of Mathematical Finance" and "C++ Design Patterns and Derivatives Pricing." He also worked as a senior quant in industry for many years and has plenty of interview experience from both sides of the desk.

Faith-Based Family Finances: Let Go of Worry and Grow in Confidence


Ron Blue - 2008
    Ron Blue and Jeremy White have teamed up to compile Ron's 35-plus years of wisdom and experience as a top financial advisor into a comprehensive guide to financial planning through all stages of life.While the material has been updated to reflect current financial conditions, Ron's core principles have not changed. They are grounded in timeless scriptural truths, which can lead to contentment and financial freedom no matter what your situation. Whether you consider yourself a financial whiz or a financial wreck, "Faith-Based Family Finances" contains commonsense, practical tools to help you make good financial decisions year after year.In addition to chapters covering every area of financial planning, the book contains the answers to questions Ron is asked most often. You'll also find stories of people struggling with the same money issues you do in each chapter. You'll find the answers to the following questions: How do I live within my income? How will we ever dig ourselves out of all this debt? Should we buy a home or continue to rent? What options do we have to save for our kids' college expenses? How do I know if I'm making a wise investment decision? Will I have enough to live on when I get older? How do we decide how much—and where—to give?

Q For Mortals: A Tutorial In Q Programming


Jeffry A. Borror - 2008
    Based on courses taught by the author at major financial institutions, this tutorial is a tested way to learn the features of q. It assumes no specific programming knowledge and presents this complex language with understandable explanations and many hands-on examples. You will be able to read and write q programs when you finish this book. The q language is both a functional programming language and a vector programming language derived from APL. It is particularly well suited to processing very large time series data. Topics covered include: data types; operations and functions; the basic data structures, lists and dictionaries; tables and keyed tables; joins and queries; commands. There is a special section demonstrating typical queries against trade data. There is also a complete reference to all the built-in functions.

When Principles Pay: Corporate Social Responsibility and the Bottom Line


Geoffrey Heal - 2008
    Yet some of the worst lenders are now bankrupt, and Toyota has enjoyed phenomenal success by positioning itself as the green car company par excellence. These trends suggest that antisocial corporate behavior has its costs, especially in terms of the stock market, which penalizes companies that have poor environmental track records and rewards more socially conscious brands.The political context of our economy is rapidly changing, particularly in regard to incentives that operate outside the marketplace in a strict and narrow sense and involve interactions between corporations and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), activist groups, regulatory bodies, consumers, and civil society. These interactions can significantly color a corporation's alternatives, making socially or environmentally harmful behavior much less attractive. British Petroleum, for example, has voluntarily reduced its greenhouse gas emissions over the past ten years, Starbucks, has changed the environmental impact of its coffee production, and Nike and other footwear and textile makers now monitor the labor conditions of their subcontractors.When Principles Pay jumps headfirst into this engaging and vital issue, asking whether profit maximization and the generation of value for shareholders is compatible with policies that support social and environmental goals. Geoffrey Heal presents a comprehensive examination of how social and environmental performance affects a corporation's profitability and how the stock market reacts to a firm's social and environmental behavior. He looks at socially responsible investment (SRI), reviewing the evolution of the SRI industry and the quality of its returns. He also draws on studies conducted in a wide range of industries, from financials and pharmaceuticals to Wal-Mart and Monsanto, and focuses on the actions of corporations in poor countries. In conclusion, Heal analyzes how social and environmental performance fits into accounting and corporate strategy, presenting an executive perspective on the best way to develop and implement these aspects of a corporation's behavior.

Live It Up Without Outliving Your Money!: Getting the Most from Your Investments in Retirement


Paul A. Merriman - 2008
    Based on the author's experience in the financial services sector since the mid-1960s, including more than 30 years as an investment advisor and money manager, this plain-talking book gives readers simple strategies to add between $1,000 and $10,000 to their monthly income in retirement, and without taking any of the dumb risks of the past. This reliable resource motivates readers to take the first steps to change their financial situation; presents multiple strategies for withdrawing money during retirement; and exposes the marketing tricks perpetrated by financial institutions. This book also includes added focus on newer issues such as ETFs, REITs, estate planning, IRA withdrawals, and updated allocation strategies.Live it Up Without Outliving Your Money!- Allows readers to tailor a financial plan for retirement that takes into account the amount of risk they're willing to tolerate- Provides multiple strategies for withdrawing money once in retirement while also building an estate for children and other survivors- Exposes the marketing tricks and emotional ploys perpetrated by financial institutions and the personal finance media that keep investors from making the best decisions - and provide real-world examples of these deceptions- Motivates readers to take the first steps to change their financial situation, which is the most difficult part of the strategy- Includes a dozen worksheets to help readers grapple with retirement planning

Currency Trading and Intermarket Analysis


Ashraf Ladi - 2008
    And now, with Currency Trading and Intermarket Analysis, he shares his extensive experiences in this field with you. Throughout the book, Laidi outlines the tools needed to understand the macroeconomic and financial nuances of this dynamic field and provides you with insights that are essential to making the most of your time within it.

Exotic Options Trading


Frans de Weert - 2008
    By giving readers the necessary tools to understand exotic options, this book serves as a manual to equip the reader with the skills to price and risk manage the most common and the most complex exotic options. De Weert begins by explaining the risks associated with trading an exotic option before dissecting these risks through a detailed analysis of the actual economics and Greeks rather than solely stating the mathematical formulae. The book limits the use of mathematics to explain exotic options from an economic and risk perspective by means of real life examples leading to a practical interpretation of the mathematical pricing formulae.The book covers conventional options, digital options, barrier options, cliquets, quanto options, outperformance options and variance swaps, and explains difficult concepts in simple terms, with a practical approach that gives the reader a full understanding of every aspect of each exotic option. The book also discusses structured notes with exotic options embedded in them, such as reverse convertibles, callable and puttable reverse convertibles and autocallables and shows the rationale behind these structures and their associated risks.For each exotic option, the author makes clear why there is an investor demand; explains where the risks lie and how this affects the actual pricing; shows how best to hedge any vega or gamma exposure embedded in the exotic option and discusses the skew exposure.By explaining the practical implications for every exotic option and how it affects the price, in addition to the necessary mathematical derivations and tools for pricing exotic options, Exotic Options Trading removes the mystique surrounding exotic options in order to give the reader a full understanding of every aspect of each exotic option, creating a useable tool for dealing with exotic options in practice."Although exotic options are not a new subject in finance, the coverage traditionally afforded by many texts is either too high level or overly mathematical. De Weert's exceptional text fills this gap superbly. It is a rigorous treatment of a number of exotic structures and includes numerous examples to clearly illustrate the principles. What makes this book unique is that it manages to strike a fantastic balance between the theory and actual trading practice. Although it may be something of an overused phrase to describe this book as compulsory reading, I can assure any reader they will not be disappointed."--Neil Schofield, Training Consultant and author of Commodity Derivatives: Markets and Applications"Exotic Options Trading does an excellent job in providing a succinct and exhaustive overview of exotic options. The real edge of this book is that it explains exotic options from a risk and economical perspective and provides a clear link to the actual profit and pricing formulae. In short, a must read for anyone who wants to get deep insights into exotic options and start trading them profitably."--Arturo Bignardi

Fundamentals of Derivatives Markets


Robert L. McDonald - 2008
    New condition

Warren Buffett and the Interpretation of Financial Statements: The Search for the Company with a Durable Competitive Advantage


Mary Buffett - 2008
    Inspired by the seminal work of Buffett's mentor, Benjamin Graham (The Interpretation of Financial Statements, 1937), this book presents Buffett's interpretation of financial statements with anecdotes and quotes from the master investor himself. Potential investors will discover: -Buffett's time-tested dos and don'ts for interpreting an income statement and balance sheet -Why high research and development costs can kill a great business -How much debt Buffett thinks a company can carry before it becomes too dangerous to touch -The financial ratios and calculations that Buffett uses to identify the company with a durable competitive advantage—which he believes makes for the winning long-term investment -How Buffett uses financial statements to value a company -What kinds of companies Warren stays away from no matter how cheap their selling price Once readers complete and master Buffett's simple financial calculations and methods for interpreting a company's financial statement, they'll be well on their way to identifying which companies are going to be tomorrow's winners—and which will be the losers they should avoid at all costs. Destined to become a classic in the world of investment books, Warren Buffett and the Interpretation of Financial Statements is the perfect companion volume to The New Buffettology and The Tao of Warren Buffett.

Fundamentals of Oil & Gas Accounting


Charlotte J. Wright - 2008
    The scope of this text is simply unmatched. The book has been completely updated to reflect the current issues facing oil and gas producers operating in both U.S. and international locations. Inside you'll find: - A new chapter on asset retirement obligations and asset impairment - An added section on project analysis and investment decision making - Updated coverage of asset exchanges and fair value reporting requirements - Thorough discussion of oil and gas pricing and marketing arrangements - Updated examples and homework problems

Success, Money and You: Everybody knows how to become a millionaire


Fred Schäfer - 2008
    You will discover the philosophy of the rich, the philosophy of the poor and powerful success strategies. You will learn how to re-program your thinking and how to overcome money-making limitations. Just as you can be a good mechanic, a good accountant, a good shop assistant or whatever you are, you can be financially very successful.Extract:You Need To Acquire A Philosophy: There is a philosophy of the rich and a philosophy of the poor. I very deliberately did not say "you need to acquire a money making philosophy" – although this is indeed what you need. But that's not all. You need more. You need a money making philosophy in order to create wealth, there is no question about that. However, at this point you also have to ask yourself: what is it all about? How is it going to contribute to a life well lived? What is a life well lived? Your money making philosophy has to be compatible with whatever else is important in your life – your relationships, your sense of integrity, your spiritual beliefs, your social life, your recreational needs and so on. In other words, you need to create a philosophy of your life that supports your money making ambitions in a way that is not in conflict with your fundamental values and beliefs of what your life well lived is really all about. If there is a conflict, it will work against you – the emotions resulting from this conflict will consciously and subconsciously have a negative impact on both your money making potential and your ability to enjoy life. It is very important that you get your whole life under control, that you develop a philosophy that supports not only your money making ambitions but your entire existence. James Rohn once told me: "There is a philosophy of the rich and a philosophy of the poor".Rich people ...

ตลาดหุ้นไทย The Survival Kit


นรินทร์ โอฬารกิจอนันต์ - 2008
    

Investing the Templeton Way: The Market-Beating Strategies of Value Investing's Legendary Bargain Hunter


Lauren C. Templeton - 2008
    Investing the Templeton Way provides a never-before-seen glimpse into Sir John's timeless principles and methods.Beginning with a review of the methods behind Sir John's proven investment selection process, Investing the Templeton Way provides historical examples of his most successful trades and explains how today's investors can apply Sir John's winning approaches to their own portfolios. Detailing his most well-known principle investing at the point of maximum pessimism- this book outlines the techniques Sir John has used throughout his career to identify such points and capitalize on them.Among the lessons to be learned:Discover how to keep a cool head when other investors overreact to bad newsBecome a bargain stock hunter like Sir John-buy the stocks emotional sellers wish to unload and sell them what they are desperate to buySearch worldwide to expand your bargain inventoryProtect your portfolio from yourself through diversificationRely on quantitative versus qualitative reasoning when it comes to selecting stocksAdopt a virtuous investment strategy that will endure in all market conditions

Market Risk Analysis, Volume III: Pricing, Hedging and Trading Financial Instruments [With CDROM]


Carol Alexander - 2008
    This book is an in-depth, practical and accessible guide to the models that are used for pricing and the strategies that are used for hedging financial instruments, and to the markets in which they trade. It provides a comprehensive, rigorous and accessible introduction to bonds, swaps, futures and forwards and options, including variance swaps, volatility indices and their futures and options, to stochastic volatility models and to modelling the implied and local volatility surfaces.All together, the Market Risk Analysis four volume set illustrates virtually every concept or formula with a practical, numerical example or a longer, empirical case study. Across all four volumes there are approximately 300 numerical and empirical examples, 400 graphs and figures and 30 case studies many of which are contained in interactive Excel spreadsheets available from the the accompanying CD-ROM . Empirical examples and case studies specific to this volume include: Duration-Convexity approximation to bond portfolios, and portfolio immunization;Pricing floaters and vanilla, basis and variance swaps;Coupon stripping and yield curve fitting;Proxy hedging, and hedging international securities and energy futures portfolios;Pricing models for European exotics, including barriers, Asians, look-backs, choosers, capped, contingent, power, quanto, compo, exchange, 'best-of' and spread options;Libor model calibration;Dynamic models for implied volatility based on principal component analysis;Calibration of stochastic volatility models (Matlab code);Simulations from stochastic volatility and jump models;Duration, PV01 and volatility invariant cash flow mappings;Delta-gamma-theta-vega mappings for options portfolios;Volatility beta mapping to volatility indices.

Finance & Grow Your New Business: Get a Grip on the Money


Angie Mohr - 2008
    Learn how to grow your small business using sound financial planning: Raise capital for your small business Measure risk and plan for profitability Grow your small business profitablyEntrepreneurs need to know how to measure the effectiveness of their operations, human resources and marketing in order to pinpoint inefficiencies and maximize profits. This book outlines all the ways to raise capital and then make it work for you! Many small business owners aren’t able to take that next big step in expanding operations. This book shows you how to raise money to finance expansion, how to analyze key factors in your financial information and develop ratios of return on investment that will indicate the direction you should take your business. Finance & Manage Your Business Growth explains, in easy-to-understand terms, how to get the money you need for your business, and how to grow your business profitably.

English for the Financial Sector Student's Book


Ian MacKenzie - 2008
    English for the Financial Sector also focuses on the communication skills necessary for working effectively within the industry. It covers a wide range of financial topics, including retail and investment banking, accounting, trade finance, and mergers and acquisitions. A Teacher's Book and Audio CD are also available.

The Fundamental Index


Robert D. Arnott - 2008
    The Fundamental Index examines a new approach to indexing that can overcome the structural return drag created by traditional capitalization-based indexing strategies, and in so doing, enhance the performance of your portfolio. Throughout this book, Robert Arnott and his colleagues outline this breakthrough strategy and explain how it can be used to improve investment returns, typically at lower risk and lower cost than most conventional investments.

Mortgage Free!: Innovative Strategies for Debt Free Home Ownership


Robert L. Roy - 2008
    from Old French morgage, mort gage, literally "death pledge"As a wave of foreclosures sweeps the country, many people are giving up hope for owning a home of their own. They have good reason to turn their backs on the banks, but not on their dreams. In this revised edition of Mortgage Free!, Rob Roy offers a series of escape routes from enslavement to financial institutions, underscored by true stories of intrepid homeowners who have put their principles into action.From back-to-the-land homesteads to country homes, here is a complete guide to strategies that allow you to own your land and home, free and clear, without the bank. Included is detailed advice about:Clarifying and simplifying your notions of what's necessaryFinding land that you love and can affordTaking control of the house-building process, for the sake of sanity and pleasureLearning to take a long-term perspective on your family's crucial economic decisions, avoiding debt and modern-day serfdom

How To Make Money Trading With Charts


Ashwani Gujral - 2008
    

Green Your Home: A Keller Williams Guide


Gary Keller - 2008
    Filled with practical, economically sensible, and healthy solutions for the long-term, this helps you accomplish your goals an any budget, on any timetable.

Market Risk Analysis: Quantitative Methods in Finance: Quantitative Methods in Finance v. 1 (The Wiley Finance Series)


Carol Alexander - 2008
    Written by leading market risk academic, Professor Carol Alexander, Quantitative Methods in Finance forms part one of the Market Risk Analysis four volume set.

Spend Analysis: The Window into Strategic Sourcing


Kirit Pandit - 2008
    Spend analysis is the most critical component, and the starting point, of strategic supply management and is essential to achieving world-class performance. If you can't analyze your spend data, many opportunities for improvement beyond the low hanging fruit are without doubt being missed. One of the foundation blocks for transforming an organization's practices to world-class supply management is the business process called strategic sourcing. And one of the requirements for enabling world-class strategic sourcing results is rigorous spend analysis. There is a lot of confusion on what constitutes spend analysis and what benefits can it provide. Spend analysis can help improve several areas: the identification of cost reduction opportunities, the prioritization of sourcing projects, the negotiated results, and the tracking and monitoring to ensure that negotiated results reach the bottom-line. It can also play an important role in improving compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley. However, implementations are complex and involve many departments within an organization. If the implementations are done correctly, they can yield high ROI. If not, they can consume money and deliver no returns due to lack of adoption.Spend Analysis: The Window into Strategic Sourcing is the definitive text on this important subject, written by leaders in the field. It is currently the only reference that provides in-depth guidance on what spend analysis really is, what it involves specifically and how to use it in your journey to world-class performance. It provides both an executive overview and technical details for practitioners. Readers do not need specialized knowledge in database systems, information technology or any other field to gain insights from reading this book. It is a must read for procurement, supply chain management, operations, and finance executives, and for practitioners and consultants.

The Shortest Investment Book Ever: Wall Street Secrets For Making Every Dollar Count


James O'Donnell - 2008
    Our nation is facing a financial crisis of monumental proportions, and we need to invest carefully. A former Wall Street pro, James O'Donnell uses simple, concise terms in a readable style to address the most crucial issues that affect your future financial health-weather you know it now or not! Contains insights on: Social Security and retirement Returns and funds Stock and bond funds Mutual funds IRAs and Annuities Keys to investing At the end of the day, the decisions you make should not only provide needed resources for retirement, but the margin to invest time-and money-in the causes you hold dear. Engaging and full of insight, O'Donnell leaves you feeling, "I can do this!

Equity Valuation: Models from Leading Investment Banks


Jan Viebig - 2008
    Editors Jan Viebig and Thorsten Poddig bring together expertise from UBS, Morgan Stanley, DWS Investment GmbH and Credit Suisse, providing a unique analysis of leading equity valuation models, from the very individuals who use them. Filled with real world insights, practical examples and theoretical approaches, the book will examine the strengths and weaknesses of some of the leading valuation approaches, helping readers understand how analysts: - estimate cash flows- calculate discount rates- adjust for accounting distortions- take uncertainty into considerationWritten for investment professionals, corporate managers and anyone interested in developing their understanding of this key area, Equity Valuation: Models from the Leading Investment Banks will arm readers with the latest thinking and depth of knowledge necessary to make the right decisions in their valuation methodologies.

Unique Process Advisors


Dan Sullivan - 2008
    How did they do it? Each of these extraordinary advisors has developed a Unique Process a new way of doing business based on their own wisdom that takes their relationships with their clients and other players in the industry to an entirely new level. In Unique Process Advisors, you'll hear from each of the ten advisors in their own words as they share how they made this transformation. Renowned coach Dan Sullivan is your guide on this tour. His insights between stories illuminate what it takes for any advisor to become a Unique Process? Advisor. If you're an advisor looking for a way to create a much bigger future financially, creatively, and personally, this is sure to be an eye-opening and inspiring read. These ten advisors were first featured in the Creative Destruction series published from 2003 to 2007. Already, hundreds of others have joined their ranks as Unique Process Advisors. In the next decade, thousands more will follow, creating processes that transform not just the way these advisors do business, but also the lives of countless others, and ultimately, the financial services industry itself.

Theories of the Multinational Firm: A Multidimensional Creature in the Global Economy


Mats Forsgren - 2008
    Mats Forsgren analyzes and compares six different theories of the multinational firm from the 'dominating multinational' to the 'politicizing multinational' that have dominated the research in international business during the last four decades.Mats Forsgren reveals the basic building blocks and assumptions behind each theory in order to reach a better understanding of why the multinational firm is looked upon in so many different ways by researchers and stakeholders. This important textbook will be an invaluable resource for both undergraduate and postgraduate students on international business, international management and international economy courses.

The Rise of Mutual Funds: An Insider's View


Matthew P. Fink - 2008
    Today U.S. mutual funds are the largest financial industry in the world, with over 88 million shareholders and over $11 trillion in assets. New and updated to reflect the crash of 2008, Matthew Fink's latest book, The Rise of Mutual Funds: AnInsider's View, Second Edition describes the developments that have produced mutual funds' long history of success. Among these developments are:* formation of the first mutual funds in the roaring 20s* how the 1929 stock market crash, a disaster for most financial institutions, spurred the growth of mutual funds* establishment in 1934, over FDR's objection, of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, the federal agency that regulates mutual funds * enactment of the Revenue Act of 1936, the tax law that saved mutual funds from extinction* passage of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the constitution of the mutual fund industry* the creation in 1972 of money market funds, which totally changed the mutual fund industry and the entire U.S. financial system *enactment of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, which created Individual Retirement Accounts* the accidental development of 401(k) plans, which have revolutionized the way Americans save for retirement* the 2003 trading abuses, the greatest scandal ever in the history of the mutual fund industryMany events have never been discussed in detail; others have been discussed in works on other subjects. This is the first book that pulls together the many strands of mutual funds' unique history, written by an expert who draws on forty years of personal experience in the fund industry.

Statistical Models and Methods for Financial Markets


Tze Leung Lai - 2008
    S. program in ?nancial mathematics at Stanford, which is an interdisciplinary program that aims to provide a master's-level education in applied mathematics, statistics, computing, ?nance, and economics. Students in the programhad di?erent backgroundsin statistics. Some had only taken a basic course in statistical inference, while others had taken a broad spectrum of M. S. - and Ph. D. -level statistics courses. On the other hand, all of them had already taken required core courses in investment theory and derivative pricing, and STATS 240 was supposed to link the theory and pricing formulas to real-world data and pricing or investment strategies. Besides students in theprogram, thecoursealso attractedmanystudentsfromother departments in the university, further increasing the heterogeneity of students, as many of them had a strong background in mathematical and statistical modeling from the mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences but no previous experience in ?nance. To address the diversity in background but common strong interest in the subject and in a potential career as a "quant" in the nancialindustry, thecoursematerialwascarefullychosennotonlytopresent basic statistical methods of importance to quantitative ?nance but also to summarize domain knowledge in ?nance and show how it can be combined with statistical modeling in ?nancial analysis and decision making. The course material evolved over the years, especially after the second author helped as the head TA during the years 2004 and 2005.

Equity Asset Valuation Workbook


Jerald E. Pinto - 2008
    This detailed study guide-which parallels the Second Edition of Equity Asset Valuation chapter by chapter-contains concise summary overviews of the chapters, challenging problems, and a complete set of solutions.An all-inclusive study companion to the Second Edition of Equity Asset ValuationTopics covered include the equity valuation process, discounted dividend valuation, free cash flow valuation, and residual income valuation Challenges readers with question/answer sections for each chapter in the main book Engaging and accessible, the Second Edition of the Equity Asset Valuation Workbook reviews essential concepts you must be familiar with in order to excel at this endeavor.

The Growth Report: Strategies for Sustained Growth and Inclusive Development


Commission on Growth and Development - 2008
    The result of two years work by 19 experienced policymakers and two Nobel prize-winning economists, 'The Growth Report' is the most complete analysis to date of the ingredients which, if used in the right country-specific recipe, can deliver growth and help lift populations out of poverty. About the Commission on Growth and Development Launched in April 2006, the Commission on Growth and Development brings together twenty-one leading practitioners from government, business, and the policymaking arenas, mostly from the developing world. The Commission is chaired by Nobel Laureate Michael Spence, former Dean of the Stanford Graduate Business School, and Danny Leipziger, Vice-President, World Bank, is the Commission's Vice-Chair. Over a period of two years the Commission sought to gather the best understanding there is about the policies and strategies that underlie rapid and sustained economic growth and poverty reduction. The Commission's audience is the leaders of developing countries. The Commission is supported by the Governments of Australia, Sweden, the Netherlands, and United Kingdom, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and the World Bank.

Vault Private Equity Career Guide


Mike Martinez - 2008
    Although private equity is a relatively young business, now there are more than 2,700 such companies worldwide. In this new Guide, Vault guide brings the scoop on the industry.

Metalearning: Applications to Data Mining


Pavel Brazdil - 2008
    While the variety of machine learning and data mining techniques now available can, in principle, provide good model solutions, a methodology is still needed to guide the search for the most appropriate model in an efficient way. Metalearning provides one such methodology that allows systems to become more effective through experience.This book discusses several approaches to obtaining knowledge concerning the performance of machine learning and data mining algorithms. It shows how this knowledge can be reused to select, combine, compose and adapt both algorithms and models to yield faster, more effective solutions to data mining problems. It can thus help developers improve their algorithms and also develop learning systems that can improve themselves.The book will be of interest to researchers and graduate students in the areas of machine learning, data mining and artificial intelligence.

Handbook of Finance, Set


Frank J. Fabozzi - 2008
    Edited by Frank Fabozzi, this set includes valuable insights from global financial experts as well as academics with extensive experience in this field. Organized by topic, this comprehensive resource contains complete coverage of essential issues--from portfolio construction and risk management to fixed income securities and foreign exchange--and provides readers with a balanced understanding of today's dynamic world of finance. A brief look at each volume: Volume I: Financial Markets and Instruments skillfully covers the general characteristics of different asset classes, derivative instruments, the markets in which financial instruments trade, and the players in those markets.Volume II: Investment Management and Financial Management focuses on the theories, decisions, and implementations aspects associated with both financial management and investment management.Volume III Valuation, Financial Modeling, and Quantitative Tools contains the most comprehensive coverage of the analytical tools, risk measurement methods, and valuation techniques currently used in the field of finance.

Intelligent Portfolio


Christopher L. Jones - 2008
    Sharpe--to reveal the time-tested institutional investing techniques that you can use to help improve your investment performance. Throughout these pages, Financial Engines' CIO, Christopher Jones, uses state-of-the-art simulation and optimization methods to demonstrate the often-surprising results of applying modern financial economics to personal investment decisions.

Rich Dad's Plan for Financial Success


Robert T. Kiyosaki - 2008
    Kiyosaki with Sharon L. Lechter is the bestselling personal finance book of all time. That book along with its two key successors, Rich Dad's CASHFLOW Quadrant and Rich Dad's Guide to Investing has created a book publishing phenomenon all over the world. Indeed, it's the rare country that hasn't already embraced the simple yet powerful messages of Rich Dad Poor Dad. Now these three original blockbuster books in the Rich Dad series are available all together in one volume. Isn't it time for you to join the millions of people around the world who have benefited from Rich Dad's wisdom?

MBA Companion


Paul Dainty - 2008
    The MBA Companion both maps out the academic terrain covered on an MBA, exploring the context in which management ideas have developed and how the disciplines inter-relate and it provides a developmental tool that can help students extract the maximum benefit from their MBA--both during their time at Business School and in the longer term with regard to their career.

Modelling Single-Name and Multi-Name Credit Derivatives


Dominic O'Kane - 2008
    It is both a detailed introduction to credit derivative modelling and a reference for those who are already practitioners. This book is up-to-date as it covers many of the important developments which have occurred in the credit derivatives market in the past 4-5 years. These include the arrival of the CDS portfolio indices and all of the products based on these indices. In terms of models, this book covers the challenge of modelling single-tranche CDOs in the presence of the correlation skew, as well as the pricing and risk of more recent products such as constant maturity CDS, portfolio swaptions, CDO squareds, credit CPPI and credit CPDOs.

Breaking Through: Building a World Class Wealth Management Business


John J. Bowen Jr. - 2008
    Despite this potential, many advisors never achieve the kind of success they have always wanted. Breaking Through provides a clear road map for these financial advisors. Leveraging extensive empirical research and the authors’ combined decades of experience in the financial services industry; the book presents a comprehensive set of proven business-building strategies. Advisors will first learn how to build a thriving wealth management practice by focusing on the right affluent clients and next implementing a consultative process that will delight and keep those clients for life. They will then learn how to build on this foundation through systematic asset- and client-acquisition techniques, effective strategic alliances with other professional advisors, and sound business management principles. Engaging, informative and thoroughly practical, Breaking Through will serve as a valuable guide to financial advisors seeking to take their businesses to a new and dramatically higher level of success.

Portfolios Of Real Options (Lecture Notes In Economics And Mathematical Systems)


Rainer Brosch - 2008
    Although the problem is common and vitally important in the value creation process of almost any corporation, it has not yet been satisfactorily addressed. It is key for any corporation facing strategic resource allocation decisions, be it a pharmaceutical ?rm valuing and managing its pipeline of drugs, a telecom company having to select a set of technological alternatives, a venture capital or private equity ?rm investing in a portfolio of ventures, or any company allocating resources. Portfolios of real options typically interact such that the value of the whole differs from the sum of the separate parts. Thus one must address and value the particular con?guration of options embedded in a speci?c situation, taking into account the con?guration of other options already present in the portfolio, which in turn depends on the correlation struc ture among the various underlying assets and the strategic dependencies among the options themselves (e. g., mutual exclusivity, strategic additiv ity, compoundness, complementarity etc. ). In that sense, optimal decisions also depend on past option exercise decisions by management and organi zational capabilities put in place in the past.

Modeling for Insight


Stephen G. Powell - 2008
    Powell and Batt's emphasis on using simple spreadsheet models to gain business insight (which is, after all, the name of the game) is what makes this book stand head and shoulders above the rest. This clear and practical book deserves a place on the shelf of every business analyst."—Jonathan Koomey, PhD, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Stanford University, author of Turning Numbers into Knowledge: Mastering the Art of Problem Solving Most business analysts are familiar with using spreadsheets to organize data and build routine models. However, analysts often struggle when faced with examining new and ill-structured problems. Modeling for Insight is a one-of-a-kind guide to building effective spreadsheet models and using them to generate insights. With its hands-on approach, this book provides readers with an effective modeling process and specific modeling tools to become a master modeler. The authors provide a structured approach to problem-solving using four main steps: frame the problem, diagram the problem, build a model, and generate insights. Extensive examples, graduated in difficulty, help readers to internalize this modeling process, while also demonstrating the application of important modeling tools, including: Influence diagrams Spreadsheet engineering Parameterization Sensitivity analysis Strategy analysis Iterative modeling The real-world examples found in the book are drawn from a wide range of fields such as financial planning, insurance, pharmaceuticals, advertising, and manufacturing. Each chapter concludes with a discussion on how to use the insights drawn from these models to create an effective business presentation. Microsoft Office Excel and PowerPoint are used throughout the book, along with the add-ins Premium Solver, Crystal Ball, and Sensitivity Toolkit. Detailed appendices guide readers through the use of these software packages, and the spreadsheet models discussed in the book are available to download via the book's related Web site. Modeling for Insight is an ideal book for courses in engineering, operations research, and management science at the upper-undergraduate and graduate levels. It is also a valuable resource for consultants and business analysts who often use spreadsheets to better understand complex problems.

The New Strategic Brand Management: Creating and Sustaining Brand Equity Long Term


J. Noel Kapferer - 2008
    The new edition builds on this impressive reputation and keeps the book at the forefront of strategic brand thinking.

Real World Banking and Finance: A Dollars & Sense Reader


Dollars & Sense Collective - 2008
    In these pages you will follow the continued consolidation of the banking industry in the post-Glass Steagall era, examine the subprime and predatory lending sector, and take an in-depth look at retirement finance. You will also find thoughtful proposals for restructuring the financial system to make it more effective and more democratic. And you will grasp the basics--money, the Fed, interest rates, the stock market--more clearly thanks to Dollars & Sense 's accurate, jargon-free explanations.

Financial Analysis, Planning & Forecasting: Theory and Application


Alice C. Lee - 2008
    The book is divided into six parts: Information and Methodology for Financial Analysis, Alternative Finance Theories and Their Application, Capital Budgeting and Leasing Decisions, Corporate Policies and Their Interrelationships, Short-term Financial Decisions, Financial Planning and Forecasting, and Overview. The theories used in this book are pre-Modigliani-Miller Theorem, Modigliani-Miller Theorem, Capital Asset Pricing Model and Arbitrage Pricing Theory, and Option Pricing Theory. The interrelationships among these theories are carefully analyzed. Meaningful real-world examples of using these theories are discussed step-by-step, with relevant data and methodology. Alternative planning and forecasting models are also used to show how the interdisciplinary approach is helpful in making meaningful financial management decisions.

Interpreting Company Reports for Dummies


Alan Bonham - 2008
    Taking you step by step through the finer points of financial reports, this straightforward guide will help you get to grips with the most accurate way to wade through the numbers, judge a company's performance and make profitable investment decisions.

CFO Guide to Doing Business in


Ching Mia Kuang - 2008
    It is not only a Guide for CFOs of foreign companies in China, but also a practical book for investors who want to do or are already doing business in China. Although the book focuses on financial, accounting, taxation, and auditing aspects, it also gives tips to newcomers on how to be more effective when doing business in China. The coverage includes the understanding of Chinese culture, managing and dealing with the Chinese people, strategies to expand your business in China. Practical contents based on real cases to help businesses get started and navigate the intricacies of China's accounting system, taxation issues, currency controls, risk management, outsourcing, people management, employment issues, mergers and acquisitions.

Credit Risk: Models, Derivatives, and Management


Niklas Wagner - 2008
    Divided into six sections, the book- Explores the rapidly developing area of credit derivative products, including iTraxx Futures, iTraxx Default Swaptions, and constant proportion debt obligations- Addresses the relationships between the DJ iTraxx credit default swap (CDS) index and the stock market as well as CDS spreads and macroeconomic factors- Investigates systematic and firm-specific default risk factors, compares CDS pricing results from the CreditGrades industry benchmark to a trinomial tree approach, and applies the Hull-White intensity-based model to the pricing of names from the CDX index- Analyzes aggregate default and recovery rates on corporate bond defaults over a twenty-year period, the responses of hazard rates to changes in a set of economic variables, low-default portfolios, and tests on the accuracy of the Basel II framework- Describes benchmark models of implied credit correlation risk, copula-based default dependence concepts, the fit of various copula models, and a common factor model of systematic credit risk- Studies the pricing of options on single-name CDSs, the pricing of credit derivatives, collateralized debt obligation (CDO) price data, the pricing of CDO tranches, applications of Gaussian and Student's t copula functions, and the pricing of CDOsUsing mathematical models and methodologies, this volume provides the essential knowledge to properly manage credit risk and make sound financial decisions.

How the East Was Won: The Impact of Multinational Companies on Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union 1989-2004


Charles Paul Lewis - 2008
    They have brought opportunities to the young, improved working conditions, saved communities from destitution, rehabilitated corrupt banking systems and laid a modern telecommunications network. Their exports have driven economic growth; their presence has boosted civil society. The impact has not always been positive, but their power and dynamism, if effectively harnessed, can help defeat poverty elsewhere too.