The Wisdom of Finance: Discovering Humanity in the World of Risk and Return
Mihir Desai - 2017
. . the noblest and the most infamous in the world, the finest and most vulgar on earth.” The characterization of finance as deceitful, infamous, and vulgar still rings true today – particularly in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. But, what happened to the fairest, noblest, and finest profession that de la Vega saw? De la Vega hit on an essential truth that has been forgotten: finance can be just as principled, life-affirming, and worthy as it can be fraught with questionable practices. Today, finance is shrouded in mystery for outsiders, while many insiders are uneasy with the disrepute of their profession. How can finance become more accessible and also recover its nobility? Harvard Business School professor Mihir Desai, in his “last lecture” to the graduating Harvard MBA class of 2015, took up the cause of restoring humanity to finance. With incisive wit and irony, his lecture drew upon a rich knowledge of literature, film, history, and philosophy to explain the inner workings of finance in a manner that has never been seen before. This book captures Desai’s lucid exploration of the ideas of finance as seen through the unusual prism of the humanities. Through this novel, creative approach, Desai shows that outsiders can access the underlying ideas easily and insiders can reacquaint themselves with the core humanity of their profession. The mix of finance and the humanities creates unusual pairings: Jane Austen and Anthony Trollope are guides to risk management; Jeff Koons becomes an advocate of leverage; and Mel Brooks’s The Producers teaches us about fiduciary responsibility. In Desai’s vision, the principles of finance also provide answers to critical questions in our lives. Among many surprising parallels, bankruptcy teaches us how to react to failure, the lessons of mergers apply to marriages, and the Capital Asset Pricing Model demonstrates the true value of relationships. THE WISDOM OF FINANCE is a wholly unique book, offering a refreshing new perspective on one of the world’s most complex and misunderstood professions.
Inside the House of Money: Top Hedge Fund Traders on Profiting in a Global Market
Steven Drobny - 2006
Author Steven Drobny demystifies how these star traders make billions for well-heeled investors, revealing their theories, strategies and approaches to markets. Drobny, cofounder of Drobny Global Advisors, an international macroeconomic research and advisory firm, has tapped into his network and beyond in order assemble this collection of thirteen interviews with the industry's best minds. Along the way, you'll get an inside look at firsthand trading experiences through some of the major world financial crises of the last few decades. Whether Russian bonds, Pakistani stocks, Southeast Asian currencies or stakes in African brewing companies, no market or instrument is out of bounds for these elite global macro hedge fund managers. Highly accessible and filled with in-depth expert opinion, Inside the House of Money is a must-read for financial professionals and anyone else interested in understanding the complexities at stake in world financial markets. "The ruminations of supposedly hush-hush hedge fund operators are richly illuminating." --New York Times
My Life as a Quant: Reflections on Physics and Finance
Emanuel Derman - 2004
Page by page, Derman details his adventures in this field--analyzing the incompatible personas of traders and quants, and discussing the dissimilar nature of knowledge in physics and finance. Throughout this tale, he also reflects on the appropriate way to apply the refined methods of physics to the hurly-burly world of markets.
Technical Analysis for Dummies
Barbara Rockefeller - 2004
Explaining the basic principles of analysis and showing how to implement them, Technical Analysis For Dummies dumps the confusing jargon and unreadable charts for basic explanations and practical guidance. In no time at all, readers will see how to make better trading decisions. Barbara Rockefeller (Stamford, CT) is one of the foremost authorities on technical analysis and founder of Rockefeller Treasury Services.
Secrets For Profiting in Bull and Bear Markets
Stan Weinstein - 1988
Stan Weinstein's Secrets For Profiting in Bull and Bear Markets reveals his successful methods for timing investments to produce consistently profitable results.Topics include:Stan Weinstein's personal philosophy on investingThe ideal time to buyRefining the buying processKnowing when to sellSelling ShortUsing the best long-term indicators to spot Bull and Bear marketsOdds, ends, and profits
The Buy Side: A Wall Street Trader's Tale of Spectacular Excess
Turney Duff - 2013
After trying – and failing – to land a job as a journalist, he secured a trainee position at Morgan Stanley and got his first feel for the pecking order that exists in the trading pits. Those on the “buy side,” the traders who make large bets on whether a stock will rise or fall, are the “alphas” and those on the “sell side,” the brokers who handle their business, are eager to please. How eager to please was brought home stunningly to Turney in 1999 when he arrived at the Galleon Group, a colossal hedge-fund management firm run by secretive founder Raj Rajaratnam. Finally in a position to trade on his own, Turney was encouraged to socialize with the sell side and siphon from his new broker friends as much information as possible. Soon he was not just vacuuming up valuable tips but also being lured into a variety of hedonistic pursuits. Naïve enough to believe he could keep up the lifestyle without paying a price, he managed to keep an eye on his buy-and-sell charts and, meanwhile, pondered the strange goings on at Galleon, where tens of millions were being made each week in sometimes mysterious ways. At his next positions, at Argus Partners and J.L. Berkowitz, Turney climbed to even higher heights – and, as it turned out, plummeted to even lower depths – as, by day, he solidified his reputation one of the Street’s most powerful healthcare traders, and by night, he blazed a path through the city’s nightclubs, showing off his social genius and voraciously inhaling any drug that would fill the void he felt inside. A mesmerizingly immersive journey through Wall Street’s first millennial decade, and a poignant self portrait by a young man who surely would have destroyed himself were it not for his decision to walk away from a seven-figure annual income, The Buy Side is one of the best coming-of-age-on-the-Street books ever written.
Trader Vic--Methods of a Wall Street Master
Victor Sperandeo - 1991
No wonder he's compiled such an amazing record of success as a money manager. Every investor can benefit from the wisdom he offers in his new book. Don't miss it! --Paul Tudor Jones Tudor Investment Corporation Here's a simple review in three steps: 1. Buy this book! 2. Read this book! 3. See step 2. For those who can't take a hint, Victor Sperandeo with T. Sullivan Brown has written a gem, a book of value for everyone in the markets, whether egghead, novice or seasoned speculator. --John Sweeney Technical Analysis of Stocks and Commodities Get Trader Vic-Methods of a Wall Street Master by Victor Sperandeo, read it over and over and you'll never have a losing year again. --Yale Hirsch Smart Money I have followed Victor Sperandeo's advice for ten years, and the results have been outstanding. This book is a must for any serious investor. --James J. Hayes, Vice President, Investments Prudential Securities Inc. This book covers all the important aspects of making money and integrates them into a unifying philosophy that includes economics, Federal Reserve policy, trading methods, risk, psychology, and more. It's a philosophy everyone should understand. --T. Boone Pickens, General Partner Mesa Limited Partnership This book gave me a wealth of new insights into trading. Whether you're a short-term trader or a long-term investor, you will improve your performance by following Sperandeo's precepts. --Louis I. Margolis Managing Director, Salomon Brothers, Inc.
Ugly Americans: The True Story of the Ivy League Cowboys Who Raided the Asian Markets for Millions
Ben Mezrich - 2004
Ugly Americans is the true story of John Malcolm, a hungry young Princeton grad who traveled halfway around the world in search of the American dream and ultimately pulled off a trade that could, quite simply, be described as the biggest deal in the history of the financial markets. After receiving a mysterious phone call promising him a shot at great fortune in an exotic land, Malcolm packed up his few belongings and took the chance of a lifetime. Without speaking a word of Japanese, with barely a penny in his pocket, Malcolm was thrown into the bizarre, adrenaline-fueled life of an expat trader. Surrounded by characters ripped right out of a Hollywood thriller, he quickly learned how to survive in a cutthroat world -- at the feet of the biggest players the markets have ever known.Malcolm was first an assistant trading huge positions for Nick Leeson, the twenty-six-year-old rogue trader who lost nearly two billion dollars and brought down Barings Bank -- the oldest in England. Then he was the right-hand man to an enigmatic and brilliant hedge-fund cowboy named Dean Carney, and grew into one of the biggest derivatives traders in all of Asia. Along the way, Malcolm fell in love with the daughter of a Yakuza gangster, built a vast fortune out of thin air, and came head-to-head with the violent Japanese mobsters who helped turn the Asian markets into the turbulent casino it is today.Malcolm and his twentysomething, Ivy League schooled colleagues, with their warped sense of morality and proportion, created their own economic theory: Arbitrage with a Battle Axe. They rode the crashing waves of the Asian markets during the mid- to late 1990s, culminating in a single deal the likes of which had never been seen before -- or since.A real-life mixture of Liar's Poker and Wall Street, brimming with intense action, romance, underground sex, vivid locales, and exotic characters, Ugly Americans is the untold, true story that will rock the financial community and redefine an era.
A Mathematician Plays The Stock Market
John Allen Paulos - 2003
In A Mathematician Plays the Stock Market , best-selling author John Allen Paulos employs his trademark stories, vignettes, paradoxes, and puzzles to address every thinking reader's curiosity about the market -- Is it efficient? Is it random? Is there anything to technical analysis, fundamental analysis, and other supposedly time-tested methods of picking stocks? How can one quantify risk? What are the most common scams? Are there any approaches to investing that truly outperform the major indexes? But Paulos's tour through the irrational exuberance of market mathematics doesn't end there. An unrequited (and financially disastrous) love affair with WorldCom leads Paulos to question some cherished ideas of personal finance. He explains why "data mining" is a self-fulfilling belief, why "momentum investing" is nothing more than herd behavior with a lot of mathematical jargon added, why the ever-popular Elliot Wave Theory cannot be correct, and why you should take Warren Buffet's "fundamental analysis" with a grain of salt. Like Burton Malkiel's A Random Walk Down Wall Street , this clever and illuminating book is for anyone, investor or not, who follows the markets -- or knows someone who does.
The Art and Science of Technical Analysis: Market Structure, Price Action, and Trading Strategies
Adam H. Grimes - 2012
The book explores why randomness prevails in markets most, but not all, of the time and how technical analysis can be used to capture statistically validated patterns in certain types of market conditions. The belief of the book is that buying and selling pressure causes patterns in prices, but that these technical patterns are only effective in the presence of true buying/selling imbalance.The Art and Science of Technical Analysis is supported by extensive statistical analysis of the markets, which will debunk some tools and patterns such as Fibonacci analysis, and endorse other tools and trade setups. In addition, this reliable resource discusses trader psychology and trader learning curves based on the author's extensive experience as a trader and trainer of traders.Offers serious traders a way to think about market problems, understand their own performance, and help find a more productive path forward Includes extensive research to validate specific money-making patterns and strategies Written by an experienced market practitioner who has trained and worked with many top traders Filled with in-depth insights and practical advice, The Art and Science of Technical Analysis will give you a realistic sense of how markets behave, when and how technical analysis works, and what it really takes to trade successfully.
Fibonacci Trading: How to Master the Time and Price Advantage
Carolyn Boroden - 2008
Now, in this groundbreaking guide, noted technical trading advisor Carolyn Boroden shows you how Fibonacci pattern studies can be used as an extremely effective method for achieving greater profitability in stocks, futures, and Forex markets.Fibonacci Trading provides a one-stop resource of reliable tools and clear explanations for both identifying and taking advantage of the trade setups naturally occurring in the markets that will enable you to reach the highest rate of profitable trades. Inside, you'll find a unique trading methodology based on Fibonacci ratios, and the author's personal experience analyzing and setting up the markets in real time, which makes this practical volume invaluable to the self-directed investor.Complete with detailed charts and insightful graphics in each chapter, Fibonacci Trading features:Dependable guidance for determining important support and resistance levels, along with expert advice for using them to maximize profits and limit lossesStep-by-step processes for using Fibonacci analysis to predict turning points in the market far enough in advance to generate substantial profitValuable tips for using Fibonacci analysis to establish optimal stop-loss placementRevealing coverage on how Fibonacci relationships can create a roadmap for the trader based on high percentage patternsFibonacci Trading also provides a four-step formula for applying the covered techniques in a highly effective approach. Flexible enough for all markets and trading styles, the formula helps you focus your newly developed knowledge and skill sets into a solid trading methodology, defined trading plan, successful trading mindset, and disciplined trading approach that stacks the odds for profit in your favor.This hands-on guide is packed with a wealth of actual trading situations, setups, and scenarios that bring the four-step formula to life so you can immediately use it in the real world.
You Can Be Rich Too : With Goal Based Investing
PV Subramanian - 2016
This is usually because the right questions are not asked. In the world of investing, where honest and common sense advice is scarce, here is a book that simplifies key concepts in money management and guides you to invest with a specific goal in mind. ‘You can be rich –With Goal Based Investing’ arms you with the relevant questions to ask. It also gives you access to a bouquet of practical yet enlightening calculators that enable you develop personalized investment solutions. If used regularly, these mirror the progress of your investment plans and help you gauge if are going in the intended direction. Investors who have the discipline to follow the simple steps suggested in this book could attain results that are vastly superior to even those achieved by professionals. Most importantly, successfully securing goals due to appropriate investing delivers an improved life with more time to spend on what is really important for you and your loved ones.. If you are in the process of creating wealth – irrespective of whether you are a beginner, mid-way through your journey or almost there – you can find nuggets of simple, practical wisdom in the pages of this book.
Cryptoassets: The Innovative Investor's Guide to Bitcoin and Beyond
Chris Burniske - 2017
Bitcoin was the first cryptoasset, but today there are over 800 and counting, including ether, ripple, litecoin, monero, and more. This clear, concise, and accessible guide from two industry insiders shows you how to navigate this brave new blockchain world—and how to invest in these emerging assets to secure your financial future. Cryptoassets gives you all the tools you need: * An actionable framework for investigating and valuing cryptoassets * Portfolio management techniques to maximize returns while managing risk * Historical context and tips to navigate inevitable bubbles and manias * Practical guides to exchanges, wallets, capital market vehicles, and ICOs * Predictions on how blockchain technology may disrupt current portfolios In addition to offering smart investment strategies, this authoritative resource will help you understand how these assets were created, how they work, and how they are evolving amid the blockchain revolution. The authors define a clear and original cryptoasset taxonomy, composed of cryptocurrencies, cryptocommodities, and cryptotokens, with insights into how each subset is blending technology and markets. You’ll find a variety of methods to invest in these assets, whether through global exchanges trading 24/7 or initial cryptoasset offerings (ICOs). By sequentially building on the concepts of each prior chapter, the book will provide you with a full understanding of the cryptoasset economy and the opportunities that await the innovative investor . Cryptoassets represent the future of money and markets. This book is your guide to that future.