This book provides a guide to the complexities of modern finance. It describes the basics of investment and the sophisticated innovations of the modern financial system. It explains how the follies of finance have threatened the stability of the world economy, and describes an environment that is complex and sophisticated, but greedy, cynical and self-interested. This book explains how to put your finances in the only hands you can confidently trust - your own. Readers will learn everything they need to be their own investment manager. They will recognise their investment options, the institutions that try to sell them, and how to distinguish between fact and fiction in what companies say. They will discover the principles of sound investment and the research that supports these principles. Crucially, they will learn a practical investment strategy and how to implement it. Leading economist and hugely successful investor John Kay uses his academic credentials and practical experience to lay out the key principles of investment with characteristic clarity and dry humour. This is the only book about finance and investment anyone needs, and the one book they must have.

This book explores the role of the insurance industry in contributing to, and responding to, the harms that climate change has brought and will bring either directly or indirectly. The Anthropocene signifies a new role for humankind: we are the only species that has become a driving force in the planetary system. What might criminology be in the Anthropocene? What does the Anthropocene suggest for future theory and practice of criminology? Criminology and Climate, as part of Routledge's Criminology at the Edge Series, seeks to contribute to this research agenda by exploring differing vantage points relevant to thinking within criminology. Contemporary societies are presented with myriad intersecting and interacting climate-related harms at multiple scales. Criminology and Climate brings attention to the finance sector, with a particular focus on the insurance industry as one of its most significant components, in both generating and responding to new climate 'harmscapes'. Bringing together thought leaders from a variety of disciplines, this book considers what finance and insurance have done and might still do, as 'fulcrum institutions', to contribute to the realisation of safe and just planetary spaces. An accessible and compelling read, this book will appeal to students and scholars of criminology, sociology, law and environmental studies and provides readers with a basis to analyse the challenges and opportunities for the finance sector, and in particular the insurance industry, in the regulation of climate harms.

European economies have been plagued by successive crises, from the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) to the COVID-19 pandemic, through to the economic and geopolitical instability in Ukraine. These events, the uncertainty they generate combined with dynamic technological progress and significant sociocultural changes, have profoundly modified the character of modern finance. Understanding what happened, what mechanisms worked, and the reaction of the banking sector, bank customers, and policymakers require an in-depth and structured analysis. This book critically assesses the impact of these events, notably the COVID-19 pandemic, on the performance of the banking sector in Europe and serves as a compendium of knowledge on recent changes in European banking from two perspectives: firstly, European banking transformation, analyzing the process of what has already taken place, in particular, the GFC and COVID-19 crises; secondly, the challenges facing the operations and strategic management of European banks. It identifies specific areas of impact on the activity of commercial banks and the determining factors that will shape the economic and financial condition of banks and their customers – borrowers – in the future. Risk management, particularly credit risk, is a key focus of this volume. Each chapter, implicitly or explicitly, address a variety of questions that can help the reader to understand the complex nature of the transformation of the banking sector. The book provides a structured reference for those concerned with the impact of volatility on the business models of modern banks. As such, it will find a broad audience among students, academics, banking, financial, business, and industry professionals, policymakers, and market regulators.

Bob Pisani is Senior Markets Correspondent for CNBC and has spent the past 25 years on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. He has been on the front line of finance for all the major events of the last quarter century, including the Asian Financial Crisis, the dot-com bubble and collapse, the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and the Great Financial Crisis. What was it like to witness these events firsthand, at the center of the financial world? In Shut Up and Keep Talking, Bob tells a series of captivating stories that reveal what he has learned about life and investing. These include encounters with a host of stars, world leaders and CEOs, including Fidel Castro, Robert Downey Jr., Walter Cronkite, Aretha Franklin, Barry Manilow, Jack Ma, Joey Ramone, and many more. Along the way, Bob describes how the investment world has changed, from brokers shouting on the floor of the NYSE to fully electronic trading, from investment sages and superstars picking stocks for exorbitant fees to the phenomenal rise of low-cost index funds that are saving investors millions, and from the belief that investors make rational decisions to the new age of behavioral finance, which recognizes the often-irrational nature of human decision making and seeks to understand its role in the stock market. Bob also considers what really moves stocks up and down and tackles the big questions: why is stock picking so hard, and why is the future so unknowable? Don't miss this highly entertaining and revealing account of how financial markets have changed, and how they really work, from someone who was there.

"A systematic review of the structure and context of the blockchain-derived economic model... (the book) describes cryptoeconomics in connection with the game theory, behavioral economics and others in simple understandable language."-Wang Feng, founder of Linekong Interactive Group and Mars Finance, partner in Geekbang Venture Capital Blockchain technology has subverted existing perceptions and is the start of an economic revolution, called, cryptoeconomics. Blockchain is a key component of cryptoeconomics. Vlad Zamfir, a developer of Ethereum, defines this term as "a formal discipline that studies protocols that governs the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services in a decentralized digital economy. Cryptoeconomics is a practical science that focuses on the design and characterization of these protocols". This book explains the structures of blockchain-derived economic models, their history, and their application. It uses real-world cases to illustrate the relationship between cryptoeconomics and blockchain. Blockchain technology solves trust issues. A blockchain application can restrict behavior on the blockchain through a reward and punishment system that enables consensus in an innovative way. The greatest significance of cryptoeconomics lies in guaranteeing safety, stability, activity, and order in a decentralized consensus system. Security and stability are achieved mainly by cryptographical mechanisms. Activity and order are achieved through economic mechanisms. Cryptoeconomics and Blockchain: Ignighting a New Era of Blockchain discusses the most popular consensus algorithms and optimization mechanisms. With examples explained in clear and simple terms that are easy to understand, the book also explores economic mechanisms of blockchain such as game theory and behavioral economics.

Go head-over-heels for house flipping! Flipping houses profitably may not be easy, but it's far from impossible. With the right guide, you can avoid the risks and reap the rewards like a seasoned expert. Flipping Houses For Dummies is that guide. The perfect blueprint to property resale, this book walks you through the absolute necessities of house flipping. You'll learn how to confirm that you have enough time, energy, cash, and resources to be successful. You'll also get an inside look at the house flipping process that'll show you how to minimize risk and maximize profit in a highly competitive market. Flipping Houses For Dummies offers: Proven negotiating techniques to close real estate deals faster House flipping laws and regulations for every state in the union Strategies to successfully complete a big renovation, on-time and on-budget House flipping tips for both investors and contractors Comprehensive content on hiring and working with reputable contractors So, if you're ready to start revitalizing your community by turning neglected properties into prize homes, Flipping Houses For Dummies is the first and last resource you'll need to navigate your way around the exciting and challenging world of real estate investment.

Embedded finance is here and having global impact. Are you ready for it? In Embedded Finance: When Payments Become An Experience, veteran growth strategists, entrepreneurs, and fintech disruptors Scarlett Sieber and Sophie Guibaud deliver a thought-provoking and page-turning discussion on the most impactful and exciting trend of fintech yet: embedded finance. In the book, you'll explore the past, present, and future of fintech, from how embedded finance is being leveraged today by industry heavyweights like Google and Amazon to supercharge their customers' experience to the offerings of smaller, niche players who stand poised to dominate their own corners of the market as their answer unmet customers' needs. The authors present: Practical examples around the world of how embedded finance is being used today by technology companies and brands to redefine our online and offline retail experiences as we know them The key trends, players, and technologies that are paving the way for embedded finance to take a dominant position in our lives The role, opportunities, and strategies for banks, technology companies and brands, providing them with all necessary tools to define their own embedded finance strategy The impact of embedded finance on society, consumers, companies, and the economy as a whole, highlighting the dominant force that is embedded finance for our future An exciting view of how our day-to-day lives will look like in 2030, powered by embedded finance An indispensable and eye-opening exploration of one of the most exciting and influential technologies in development today, Embedded Finance details a revolution in financial services, banking, and technology that has already begun. Are you ready?

In the middle decades of the nineteenth century Jeremiah G. Hamilton was a well-known figure on Wall Street. Cornelius Vanderbilt, America's first tycoon, came to respect, grudgingly, his onetime opponent. The day after Vanderbilt's death on January 4, 1877, an obituary acknowledged that "There was only one man who ever fought the Commodore to the end, and that was Jeremiah Hamilton." Hamilton, although his origins were lowly, possibly slave, was reportedly the richest black man in the United States, possessing a fortune of $2 million, or in excess of two hundred and $50 million in today's currency. In this ground-breaking and vivid account, eminent historian Shane White reveals the larger than life story of a man who defied every convention of his time. He wheeled and dealed in the lily white business world, he married a white woman, he bought a mansion in rural New Jersey, he owned railroad stock on trains he was not legally allowed to ride, and generally set his white contemporaries teeth on edge when he wasn't just plain outsmarting them. An important contribution to American history, the Hamilton's life offers a way into considering, from the unusual perspective of a black man.

This book focuses on a variety of themes concerning the relationship between financial systems in a broader sense and firms’ growth in historical perspective in some European countries. Financial systems are nowadays largely acknowledged to be a crucial element in determining economic growth. In modern economies, they play a key role by mobilizing savings, pricing risks and allocating capital to firms. Following a consolidated taxonomy focusing on the historical perspective, countries have been conventionally divided into bank-oriented (Continental Europe countries and Japan) and market-oriented systems (Anglo-Saxon countries). The chapters in this book present case studies on Belgium, Great Britain, France and Italy and show that financial systems do not trigger growth processes and industrialization, but they are essential to sustain them over time. Each society has the financial system that fits with its historical trajectory, without any being better or worse than others. The important thing is to have a financial system that is sophisticated and stable, and that evolves according to the demand forces of the moment. History matters. Bank-Industry versus Stock Market-Industry Relationships will be a beneficial read for students interested in economics and business history. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Business History.

This book reconsiders the role of nobility as influential economic players and provides new insights into the business activities of noblemen in Europe and Asia during the nineteenth century thus offering up opportunities for comparison in an age of economic expansion and globalisation. What was the contribution of the nobility to the economy? Can we consider noblemen to have been endowed with an entrepreneurial spirit? Research shows that far from being passive, throughout the century the European nobility were widely involved in business, carried on innovations, refined management strategies, and diversified their investments from agriculture to transport, industry and finance. Both in Europe and Asia businesses were embedded in social networks and personal relationships. In modern Japan after the Meiji Restoration - the unique case in Asia where a Western-style nobility was created - business, trust, personal connections and aristocratic marriages were intertwined and Japanese noblemen, especially the richer ones, acted as promoters of industrialisation, even though their role was certainly limited in time and space. This volume will be of great interest to scholars and researchers in the fields of economics, management, political science, sociology, public management and history. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Business History.

Self-contained chapters on the most important applications and methodologies in finance, which can easily be used for the reader’s research or as a reference for courses on empirical finance. Each chapter is reproducible in the sense that the reader can replicate every single figure, table, or number by simply copy-pasting the code we provide. A full-fledged introduction to machine learning with tidymodels based on tidy principles to show how factor selection and option pricing can benefit from Machine Learning methods. Chapter 2 on accessing & managing financial data shows how to retrieve and prepare the most important datasets in the field of financial economics: CRSP and Compustat. The chapter also contains detailed explanations of the most important data characteristics. Each chapter provides exercises that are based on established lectures and exercise classes and which are designed to help students to dig deeper. The exercises can be used for self-studying or as source of inspiration for teaching exercises.

Finance is the study of value and how it is determined. Individuals, small businesses and corporations regularly make use of value determinations for making strategic decisions that affect the future outcomes of their endeavors. The importance of accurate valuations cannot be overestimated; valuing assets too highly will lead to investing in assets whose costs are greater than their returns, while undervaluing assets will lead to missed opportunities for growth. In some situations (such as a merger or an acquisition), the outcome of the decision can make or break the investor. The need for solid financial skills has never been more pressing than in today's global economy. The Fundamental Principles of Finance offers a new and innovative approach to financial theory. The book introduces three fundamental principles of finance that flow throughout the theoretical material covered in most corporate finance textbooks. These fundamental principles are developed in their own chapter of the book, then referred to in each chapter introducing financial theory. In this way, the theory is able to be mastered at a fundamental level. The interactions among the principles are introduced through the three precepts, which help show the impact of the three principles on financial decision-making. This fresh and original approach to finance will be key reading for undergraduate students of introduction to finance, corporate finance, capital markets, financial management and related courses, as well as managers undertaking MBAs.

Everything on bonds, bond funds, and more! Updated for the new economy Whether you're looking for income, diversification, or protection from stock market volatility, bonds can play an important role in any portfolio. Newly updated, Bond Investing For Dummies covers the essentials of getting started and ways to select and purchase bonds for your needs. You'll get up to speed on the different bond varieties and see how to get the best prices when you sell. We'll help you wrap your mind around bond returns and risk and recognize the major factors that influence bond performance. With easily understandable explanations and examples, you can understand bonds from every angle--yield, credit risk, callability, fund selection, bond broker-dealers, web portals, and beyond. This is the expert information and advice you need to invest in bonds in today's environment. Learn what bonds are and how you can use them to strengthen and protect your portfolio Understand how interest rates and other shifting sands affect bond investing Minimize your risk and maximize your returns with proven advice from an expert financial advisor Use online investing and apps to buy bonds and bond funds with confidence and ease Novice and experienced investors alike will love this quick-and-easy approach to bond investing.

The book offers insights into the scholarly debates on formal and informal finance in rural China and fills a gap in existing literature. The book provides an overview of the overall development of rural finance in China and explains the necessity of embarking on the pathway toward rural financial pluralization through "Local Knowledge Paradigm". The authors also analyze formal and informal financial development, and inclusive finance (including digital inclusive finance) in rural China in various dimensions. This book aids the understanding of the structure of the rural financial system and the operations of rural financial service providers in China. It will be a useful reference for those researching on and interested in informal economy and rural development.

In September 2008, beset by mounting losses on high-risk mortgages and mortgage securities, the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation teetered on the brink of insolvency. Fearing that confidence in the housing market would collapse completely if Freddie Mac and its competitor Fannie Mae failed, the US government made the difficult decision to place the two firms into conservatorship, taking control away from shareholders. Although the taxpayer commitment of hundreds of billions was meant to stabilize the housing finance system, Freddie's fall at the start of the financial crisis set off shockwaves around the world. In Days of Slaughter, Susan Wharton Gates, a former 19-year Freddie Mac employee and vice president of public policy, provides a vivid eyewitness account of the competing economic and political forces that led to massive losses for shareholders, investors, homeowners-and taxpayers. With a keen eye to the policy landscape, Gates relates the fateful decisions that led to Freddie Mac's downfall and desperate rescue. She also examines today's worrisome headlines about potential future bailouts, the uneven housing recovery, and stymied congressional reform efforts. Throughout the book, Gates argues convincingly that policymakers will be unable to safely reform the massive housing finance system that currently rests squarely on taxpayer shoulders without addressing deeper issues of ideology, moral hazard, and interest group politics. The first book to tell the story of Freddie Mac from an insider perspective-while casting a prophetic eye to the future-this first-hand account of housing policies, complex financial transactions, and the crazy quilt of federal and state actors involved in the Great Recession is a must-read. A cautionary tale of failed policies and corporate mismanagement that compellingly addresses previously unexplored issues of political ideology, organizational dynamics, and ethics, Days of Slaughter will appeal to readers everywhere who want a fuller explanation of what went awry in the US housing market.

A one-of-a-kind reference guide covering the behavioral and statistical explanations for market momentum and the implementation of momentum trading strategies Market Momentum: Theory and Practice is a thorough, how-to reference guide for a full range of financial professionals and students. It examines the behavioral and statistical causes of market momentum while also exploring the practical side of implementing related strategies. The phenomenon of momentum in finance occurs when past high returns are followed by subsequent high returns, and past low returns are followed by subsequent low returns. Market Momentum provides a detailed introduction to the financial topic, while examining existing literature. Recent academic and practitioner research is included, offering a more up-to-date perspective. What type of book is Market Momentum and how does it serve a range of readers' interests and needs? A holistic market momentum guide for industry professionals, asset managers, risk managers, firm managers, plus hedge fund and commodity trading advisors Advanced text to help graduate students in finance, economics, and mathematics further develop their funds management skills Useful resource for financial practitioners who want to implement momentum trading strategies Reference book providing behavioral and statistical explanations for market momentum Due to claims that the phenomenon of momentum goes against the Efficient Markets Hypothesis, behavioral economists have studied the topic in-depth. However, many books published on the subject are written to provide advice on how to make money. In contrast, Market Momentum offers a comprehensive approach to the topic, which makes it a valuable resource for both investment professionals and higher-level finance students. The contributors address momentum theory and practice, while also offering trading strategies that practitioners can study.

The struggle for the right to housing is a battle over property rights and land use. For housing to be provided as a human need, land must be recognised as a common right. Property, Planning and Protest is a compelling new investigation into public opposition to housing and real estate development. Its innovative materialist approach is grounded in the political economy of land value and it recognises conflict between communities and real estate capital as a struggle over land and property rights. Property, Planning and Protest is about a social movement struggling for democratic representation in land use decisions. The amenity groups it describes champion a democratic plan-led system that allocates land for social and environmental goals. Situating this movement in a history of land reform and common rights, this book sets out a persuasive new vision of democratic planning and contributes a powerful insight into the global affordability crisis in housing.

This book examines partnerships between commercial banks and microfinance institutions (MFIs). It demonstrates that when set up properly, these partnerships have the potential to develop and enhance the financial inclusion agenda, and further support sustainable development. MFIs provide access to finance predominantly for those who are poor but economically active, and therefore their expansion is imperative for inclusive economic development. However, MFIs are faced with enormous challenges. The book discusses how partnering with a commercial bank can meet these challenges and the process of interaction contributing to the enhancement of institutional robustness of MFIs. Through two distinct case studies, in Cambodia and Australia, the book discusses the motivations, objectives and operational dynamics of a partnership, as well as the challenges, success factors, and potential benefits, from the increase in outreach and sustainability, to the transference of knowledge and potential for capacity building. Similarly, the partnering banks benefit in line with the intended objectives-commercial or social besides help embedding social consciousness and improving staff engagement. Concluding with elucidating the characteristics of a partnership model that can succeed across different global contexts, the book will interest a range of researchers and students across development economics, banking, finance, and sustainable development.

The only student textbook covering this frequently-taught subject Fully updated new edition includes updates in case law and the ongoing impact of the Insurance Act 2015 and a revised chapter on smart contracts to include discussion of Blockchain First two editions extremely well received and adopted by the market

Using real-life examples from the banking and insurance industries, Quantitative Operational Risk Models details how internal data can be improved based on external information of various kinds. Using a simple and intuitive methodology based on classical transformation methods, the book includes real-life examples of the combination of internal data and external information. A guideline for practitioners, the book begins with the basics of managing operational risk data to more sophisticated and recent tools needed to quantify the capital requirements imposed by operational risk. The book then covers statistical theory prerequisites, and explains how to implement the new density estimation methods for analyzing the loss distribution in operational risk for banks and insurance companies. In addition, it provides: Simple, intuitive, and general methods to improve on internal operational risk assessment Univariate event loss severity distributions analyzed using semiparametric models Methods for the introduction of underreporting information A practical method to combine internal and external operational risk data, including guided examples in SAS and R Measuring operational risk requires the knowledge of the quantitative tools and the comprehension of insurance activities in a very broad sense, both technical and commercial. Presenting a nonparametric approach to modeling operational risk data, Quantitative Operational Risk Models offers a practical perspective that combines statistical analysis and management orientations.

The flow of capital to Third World countries in recent years has been less than expected for realizing their growth objectives. As a consequence, efforts have been redoubled to attract capital in the form of direct investment. The World Bank has proposed the establishment of a multilateral guarantee scheme, encompassing as many investing and host countries as possible, to reduce the risks associated with overseas investment.The authors analyze and comment on the necessity and suitability of the World Bank proposal. They examine earlier proposals for setting up multi lateral guarantee schemes and the reasons for their failure, develop an eco nomic frame of reference for analyzing the new proposal, describe and examine the World Bank plan, and present alternatives to it. They pay particular attention to two major assumptions of the plan: that additional foreign investment capital for developing countries could be mobilized on a large scale if the investment risks were reduced, and that existing national insurance schemes display shortcomings that could be avoided in a multilateral system.

This book takes an interdisciplinary approach, linking the law and policy surrounding financial markets regulation in order to fill the gap in the analysis and understanding of the most salient issues related to the role of credit rating agencies (CRAs). Key features include: A critical appraisal of the ratings information system and the potential risks of disclosure failure Questioning how regulators can shape a proper responsibility for CRAs in the aftermath of the EU civil liability regime for rating agencies introduced by the CRA Regulation 2013 and the professional liability introduced by the US Dodd-Frank Act 2010 Assessment of CRAs' liability regimes in light of the recent developments in case law Analysis of the major weaknesses in legislative reforms adopted in the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union, and suggestions for enhancing the current regulatory system of CRAs. The Governance of Credit Rating Agencies will be a valuable resource for those researching law and economic aspects of securities markets. Professionals in law firms with banking or financial services regulation practice, global rating firms, commercial banks, investment banks, international financial institutions and prudential regulatory agencies will also find this book an essential point of reference.

Real estate represents an increasingly significant global asset class and its distinctive characteristics must be understood by investors and researchers. The Routledge Companion to Real Estate Investment provides an authoritative overview of the real estate asset class. The Companion focuses on the current academic research and its relevance for practical applications. The book is divided into four parts, each containing specially written chapters by international experts in the relevant field. The contributors cover the institutional context for real estate investment, the main players in real estate investment, real estate appraisal and performance measurement, and real estate portfolios and risk management. This Companion provides a comprehensive reference for students, academics and professionals studying, researching and working in real estate investment, finance and economics.