With Big Tech's breakthrough into finance with blockchain, it is imperative that finance players understand the ramifications and how they can defend their competitive advantage. Big Tech in Finance provides a cutting edge look at Big Tech's play for domination of the crypto economy, its ramifications and how finance is fighting back. The book analyses the motives behind Big Tech's break into banking and unpicks the strategies behind the use of blockchain, technology interfaces, infrastructure and investments into blockchain unicorns. The book then goes onto review how organizations in finance are countering these threats, with governments and banks driving their own strategies and use of centralized blockchains. Delving into the fight between Big Tech, Big Banking, start-ups, and regulators, Big Tech in Finance analyzes which actors have the best shot at succeeding. It explores the key tools in play, such as smart contracts, digital central bank currencies, decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) and the metaverse. The book also divulges the geopolitical dimensions underpinning the power struggle and its implications for the industry. Written by an internationally recognized expert on blockchain, the book draws on in-depth interviews with founders, investors, regulators, bankers and blockchain experts to provide valuable insider insights. This will be an essential read for finance and fintech professionals, bankers and investors and anyone else interested in the developments of fintech.

The International Monetary Fund is the centre of a global financial system that encourages budgetary discipline and full integration into world trade to facilitate development and alleviate poverty.
Yet this policy 'conditionality' of the IMF is highly controversial. Critics state that fifty years of IMF existence has been 'fifty years too long', and that its doctrinaire policy must change or Fund programmes will have only limited ability to achieve their objectives.
This book examines the arguments, tracing the extent of Fund adaptation, presenting major new evidence on the consequences of Fund programmes, and considering its future role.

When the major aid organizations made flows of aid conditional on changes in policy, they prompted an extensive debate in development circles. Aid and Power has made one of the most significant and influential contributions to that debate. This edition has been revised to take account of changes within the World Bank itself and the extension of policy based lending to the formerly socialist economies of east and central Europe.

When the major aid organizations made flows of aid conditional on changes in policy, they prompted an extensive debate in development circles. Aid and Power has made one of the most significant and influential contributions to that debate. This edition has been revised to take account of changes within the World Bank itself and the extension of policy based lending to the formerly socialist economies of east and central Europe.

Originally published in 1996, The International Guide to Securities Market Indices provides a comprehensive overview of the securities market indices and offers assistance to professionals as well as individual investors in the selection of an appropriate securities market index, on a worldwide basis. The Guide's identifies and catalogues available performance indicators along with their publishers and describes their relevant characteristics and a perspective on their historical price and total return performance. It also contains descriptive profiles along with historical performance data on 400 of the world's leading global, regional and local securities market indices and sub-indices covering 10 asset classes.

More than one billion people still live below the poverty line - most of them in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Financial inclusion is a major issue, as more than three-quarters of the numbers of poor and disadvantaged women and men do not have access to financial products and services, such as bank accounts, affordable and suitable loans, and insurance. The key objective of this book is to provide practical case studies of financial inclusion, rather than focus on academic debates such as the ideological basis of promoting microfinance. Using the recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals as an overall framing of the issues, it shows how poor and disadvantaged women and men can be bankable if the right facilitation for maximizing opportunities and addressing constraints are in place. Case studies confirm that achieving inclusive and sustainable access to financial products and services goes beyond simply enabling poor and disadvantaged women and men to have access to credit, or the ability to open a bank account. Examples from Africa, Asia and Latin America demonstrate encouraging progress in making microcredit accessible to millions of poor people. The foremost challenge, however, has been to ensure that they have access to, and usage intensity of, suitable and affordable financial products and services that meet the needs of their livelihoods as well as risks and mitigation strategies. This requires understanding that poor and disadvantaged women and men do not exist in isolation from complex and interdependent functions in the financial system, which includes a number of actors, diversified services, constraints (not just symptoms) and capacities and incentives. Overall, the book provides a rich source of examples of how building inclusive financial systems can empower the world's poor - by increasing income and employment opportunities, securing livelihoods and reducing poverty.

This book provides different financial models based on options to predict underlying asset price and design the risk hedging strategies. Authors of the book have made theoretical innovation to these models to enable the models to be applicable to real market. The book also introduces risk management and hedging strategies based on different criterions. These strategies provide practical guide for real option trading. This book studies the classical stochastic volatility and deterministic volatility models. For the former, the classical Heston model is integrated with volatility term structure. The correlation of Heston model is considered to be variable. For the latter, the local volatility model is improved from experience of financial practice. The improved local volatility surface is then used for price forecasting. VaR and CVaR are employed as standard criterions for risk management. The options trading strategies are also designed combining different types of options and they have been proven to be profitable in real market. This book is a combination of theory and practice. Users will find the applications of these financial models in real market to be effective and efficient.

Mainstream economists explain the Federal Reserve's behavior over its one hundred years of existence as (usually failed) attempts to stabilize the economy on a non-inflationary growth path. The most important monetary event during those first one hundred years was the replacement of fixed exchange rates, based on a gold-exchange standard, with flexible exchange rates. In this book, Dickens explains how flexible exchange rates became necessary to accommodate the Federal Reserve's relentless efforts to prevent progressive social change. It is argued that the Federal Reserve is an institutionalized alliance of the large New York banks and the large regional banks. When these two groups of banks are united, they constitute an unassailable force in the class conflict. However, when the large regional banks are at loggerheads with the large New York banks over the proper role of bank clearinghouses during the populist period, along with the proper role of the Eurodollar market during the social democratic period, there is an opening for progressive social reforms. This book builds upon Hyman Minsky's financial instability hypothesis as well as the Marxian model constructed by Thomas Piketty. It follows Piketty's historical method of deepening our understanding of the current Neoliberal Era (1980-2014) of global financial capitalism by comparing and contrasting it with the first era of global financial capitalism-the Gilded Age (1880-1914). In contrast with Piketty, however, this book incorporates monetary factors, including monetary policy, into the set of determinants of the long-run rate of economic growth. This book is suitable for those who study political economy, banking as well as macroeconomics.

George J. Benston, professor of Finance, Accounting, and Economics at Emory University's Goizueta Business School, died unexpectedly in January 2008. He was an impassioned advocate for corporate integrity and a unique scholar; his research interests were as broad as those of any recent academician. His colleagues have selected and organized his most important papers into two volumes. This second volume consists of his publications in the fields of accounting and finance. The editor has selected a broad range of papers from each of the major areas that are representative of Benston's work in that particular field. James D. Rosenfeld, Professor of Finance, Accounting, and Economics, Goizueta Business School, Emory University, serves as the editor and is assisted by an editorial advisory board including George Kaufman, Greg Waymire, Bob Eisenbeis, Larry Wall, Rashad Abdel-Kalik, and Lemma Senbet.

Originally published in 1987, British Non-Bank Financial Intermediaries the book is the diversification of and overlaps in the operations of UK financial intermediaries forms. The book provides a coherent analysis of the broader implications of ongoing developments in the financial services sector and an insight into the 'back-room activities of the non-bank institutions. The book also focuses on institutions offering some form of financial markets, within which many of the financial intermediaries operate. In doing this, the book outlines a theoretical framework of financial intermediation and provides an overview of the broader evolution of the UK financial system. This volume will be of use to students and practitioners studying in the financial services sector.

After 1688, Britain underwent a revolution in public finance, and the cost of borrowing declined sharply. Leading scholars have argued that easier credit for the government, made possible by better property-rights protection, lead to a rapid expansion of private credit. The Industrial Revolution, according to this view, is the result of the preceding revolution in public finance. In Prometheus Shackled, prominent economic historians Peter Temin and Hans-Joachim Voth examine this hypothesis using new, detailed archival data from 18th century banks. They conclude the opposite: the financial revolution led to an explosion of public debt, but it stifled private credit. This led to markedly slower growth in the English economy. Temin and Voth collected detailed data from several goldsmith banks-Child's, Gosling's, Freame and Gould, Hoare's, and Duncombe and Kent. The excellent records from Hoare's, founded by Sir Richard Hoare in 1672, offer particular insight. Numerous entrants into the banking business tried their hand at deposit-taking and lending in the early 17th century; few survived and fewer thrived. Hoare's and a small group of competitors did both. Temin and Voth chart the growth of the successful banks in the face of frequent wars and heavy-handed regulations. Their new data allows insights into the interaction between financial and economic development. Government regulations such as (a sharply lower) maximum interest rate caused severe misallocation of credit, and a misguided attempt to lighten the nation's debt burden led directly to the South Sea Bubble in 1720. Frequent wars caused banks to call in loans, resulting in a sharply slower economic growth rate. Based on detailed micro-data, the authors present conclusive evidence that wartime borrowing crowded out investment. Far from fostering economic development, England's financial revolution after 1688 did much to stifle it - the Hanoverian "warfare state" was a key reason for slow growth during Britain's Industrial Revolution. Prometheus Shackled is a revealing new take on one of the most important periods of economic and financial development.

Money is, of course, something with which everyone is familiar. But how many people truly understand the role money plays in the society? Judging from the duress and anxiety associated with this subject, few people are aware of the real purpose and function of money. Here L. Ron Hubbard delineates its proper role in assisting the survival of individuals, groups and cultures. As he strips away the complexities accumulated over the centuries to prevent anyone outside an "inner sanctum" from really grasping its purpose and function, the entire subject clarifies and focuses. And what becomes clear is that money owes its unsavory reputation not to its use, but to its abuse. Once understood for what it is, money assumes its correct place as but one element-albeit an important one-contributing to individual, organizational and national survival. Here, then, is an entirely new look, demystifying a subject and commodity that everyone depends upon. And as for what follows from that, listen and see.

As the linchpin of the global financial system, the International Monetary Fund provides the balance of payments support, chiefly to developing countries, conditional on strict remedial policy measures.
Its approach to policy remains highly controversial, however. While the Fund claims it has adapted, critics allege its policies are harshly doctrinaire, imposing hardships on already poverty-stricken people. For the critics, the half century of its existence is `fifty yeats too long' and radical change is essential.
This book examines the arguments, tracing the extent of Fund adaption, presenting major new evidence on the consequences of fund programes, and considering its future role.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203392582

Originally published in 1992, Capital Mobilization and Regional Financial Markets, argues that barriers to financial flows within regions may be as important in affecting capital flows as interregional barriers. The book conjectures that regional markets allow efficient mobilization of local funds and develops an analytical framework to motivate an investigation of region financial development in the Pacific Coast states between 1850 and 1920.

This title was first published in 2003. In this volume of essays - based on papers delivered to 2001 conference, International Banking and Financial Systems - leading European bankers and banking historians give their assessment of the evolution of central banking in 20th-century Europe. As well as providing a historical perspective, the volume also explores how the lessons of the 20th century may be brought to bear on current and future trends in central banking. In so doing, this volume provides an insight into the ways in which economic stability and growth has been, and can be, promoted.

European Banking and Financial Law Statutes presents all the key legislation for European banking and financial law in one student-friendly volume. This book is: * up-to-date with the law: based on the official consolidated texts of all relevant European instruments, this book provides a fully current collection of legislation * tailored to course outlines: content has been curated to align with European banking and financial law courses * exam friendly: conforming to regulations, this is an un-annotated text that is suitable for exam use * easy to use: a clear and attractive text design, detailed table of contents and multiple indices provides ease of reference and navigation. Ideal for course and exam use, as well as for reference, this book is a perfect companion resource for student learning and exam success, which is especially tailored for use in combination with the European Banking and Financial Law textbook.

Few presidents have sparked as much interest in recent years as Ronald Reagan. This biography finds Reagan's personal career and ability to understand and communicate with the American people admirable, but finds the long-term effects of his presidency harmful.

Originally published in 1979, Inside the City looks at The City of London as one of the important financial centres in the world. The book provides an interesting insight into the City as a major centre of international banking, asking key questions such as, how long the city can last as a major centre, how do its services compare with other centres, and what it can do to maintain its present position? The book examines how the great network of markets and institutions that make up the City operated when the book was written, providing key chapters on the Stock Exchange, institutional and private investors, the banking world, including foreign and merchant banks, the commodity and money markets, Euromarkets, Sterling and insurance. This book will be of interest to those studying or researching in the field of economics and finance.

The volumes in this set, originally published between 1970 and 1996, draw together research by leading academics in the area of economic and financial markets, and provide a rigorous examination of related key issues. The volumes examine the stock exchange, capital cities as financial centres, international capital, the financial system, bond duration, security market indices and artificial intelligence applications on Wall Street, whilst also exploring the general principles and practices of financial markets in various countries. This set will be of particular interest to students of economics and finance respectively.

This second edition of an already widely-used textbook presents an up-to-date analysis of the roles played by financial institutions and markets in the working of the UK economy. For the second edition Professor Bain has updated all empirical material as well as addressing the internationalization of capital markets and monetary policy and the increasing competition between banks in the light of technological advances.

The introduction provides an overview of the system, and the following sections deal with the theory of the financial system - including the factors governing interest rates in Britain - the saving, investment and financial behavior of the main sectors of the economy, the modes of operation of the financial institutions and markets, and the regulatory system. The final chapter examines the efficiency with which the system fulfils its functions in the economy, reaching a mixed verdict.

The book assumes only a basic grounding in economics and will be widely recommended to students of macroeconomics, monetary economics and finance. This second edition of an already widely-used textbook presents an up-to-date analysis of the roles played by financial institutions and markets in the working of the UK economy. For the second edition Professor Bain has updated all empirical material as well as addressing the internationalization of capital markets and monetary policy and the increasing competition between banks in the light of technological advances.

It is estimated that up to sixty percent of the world's money may be located offshore, where half of all financial transactions are said to take place; however, there is a perception that secrecy about offshore is encouraged to obfuscate tax evasion and money laundering. McCann provides a detailed analysis of the global offshore environment, outlining the extent of the information available and how that information might be used in assessing the quality of individual jurisdictions, as well as examining whether some of the perceptions about 'offshore' are valid. He analyses the ongoing work of the Financial Stability Forum, the Financial Action Task Force, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The book also offers some suggestions as to what the future might hold for offshore finance.

Islam has a very specific approach to commercial transactions, the law of contract, interest charges, indeed to the very nature of property. For financial institutions operating in an Islamic environment, or seeking to meet the requirements of communities committed to Islamic law, this poses a variety of problems. This important book investigates how such a challenge can be met in practice. The authors investigate the way Islamic banks work within different economic, financial, social, legal and religious environments. They take the reader through the basic principles involved, the issues that arise, and the difficulties that are often encountered. Drawing on detailed studies of Islamic banking in London, Jordan, Turkey, Malaysia and Pakistan, they provide an understanding of how complex Islamic concepts impact upon the use of financial instruments, commercial priorities and services. Relationships with central banks, comparative analysis of financial statements and the role of Islamic banking in a development context are also covered. ISLAMIC BANKING will be essential reading to all those involved in the setting up and running of Islamic banking units in western countries, and a key resource for students of economics in the international arena.

This critique of World Bank operations examines the effects of this organization on the societies in which it operates. Highly critical of the Bank's practices in its 50 years of operation, the author demonstrates how the Bank has become virtually unaccountable and a law unto itself. He describes how the Bank has supported oppressive regimes and loaned money to support large projects which have displaced local populations. He argues further that the Bank's current policies of structural adjustment are arresting the development of Third World countries.

This book, first published in 1992, explores the role of the Federal Reserve System in the Great Depression. Several theories of the causes of the Great Depression are discussed. What the Federal Reserve did, how they defended their actions, and how business writers, businessmen and economists viewed these actions are important. Analysis of these opinions sheds light on how aware of the appropriateness of Federal Reserve policy concerned participants of that time period were.

This book, first published in 1904, is an early examination of England's monetary system: what it is, how it was founded, grew and developed. It analyses the role of trade in this development, and works from the assumption that the material well-being of the country and all its inhabitants is largely dependent upon the money market.