An insightful guide to making strategic investment allocation decisions that embraces both alternative and conventional assets

In this much-needed resource, alternative and portfolio management expert John Abbink demonstrates new ways of analyzing and deploying alternative assets and explains the practical application of these techniques.

"Alternative Assets and Strategic Allocation" clearly shows how alternative investments fit into portfolios and the role they play in an investment allocation that includes traditional investments as well. This book also describes innovative methods for valuation as applied to alternatives that previously have been difficult to analyze.Offers institutional investors, analysts, researchers, portfolio managers, and financial academics a down-to-earth method for measuring and analyzing alternative assetsReviews some of the latest alternatives that are increasing in popularity, such as high-frequency trading, direct lending, and long-term investment in real assetsOutlines a strategic approach for including alternative investments into portfolios and shows the pivotal role they play in an investment allocation

Using the information found in this book, you'll have a clearer sense of how to approach investment issues related to alternative assets and discover what it takes to make these products work for you.

While there were many factors that triggered the widespread financial crisis of 2008-2010, at least one may have been increasing inequality in the United States economy. With the distributional divide wider than at any time since the Great Depression, the wealthy poured money into increasingly speculative investments even as those at the bottom of the income distribution borrowed just to stay above water.

Long before the national meltdown helped to make this point, the notion that inequality might actually damage economic growth was gaining ground at another geographic level: that of the metropolitan region. Throughout the US, many key metropolitan actors, including collaboratives of business, civic and community leaders, have accepted the notion that a more inclusive economic approach could actually shore up the social consensus and human capital needed to compete in a global economy.

So what are the possibilities for this "Just Growth"? This book seeks to address this and other key questions with a combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis. Utilizing a sample of the largest 192 metropolitan regions in the United States, the authors use a quantitative approach to identify those regions with above average performance in terms of economic growth and social equity indicators, and conduct regression-style analysis to explore the demographic, political and economic determinants behind the phenomenon.

First Published in 1980, The Foundations of Nigeria's Financial Infrastructure presents a comprehensive overview of different aspects of Nigeria's financial developments. Divided in five parts this book brings twenty-one chapters dealing with themes like Nigeria's traditional financial system; fundamental problems of banking in Nigeria; the banking system and the financial market; aspects of public and private sectors' finance; revenue allocation in Nigeria; Nigerian currency system; Nigeria's balance of payments and external liquidities; development in Nigeria's external assets, and Nigeria and the International Monetary Fund, to showcase the catalytic role of the financial system in economic development. This volume will be useful for scholars and researchers of public finance, finance, economics, political economy, development economics and development studies.

This report, prepared for the government by the National Consumer Council, examines money transmission, access to banking services, new technology, banking and the law, disputes between bank and customer, saving and borrowing. There are special sections on Northern Ireland and Scotland and on bank executor and trustee work - all from a consumer perspective. It is based on the findings of two surveys of consumer attitudes to banking services and evidence from the banks and building societies themselves.

Directed both at students of international finance and practitioners in the field, the book stresses the importance of treating the analysis of sovereign risk in a more general framework than is typically the case, identifying the components of both the demand and supply of sovereign loans. The author also discusses the link between the unique aspects of sovereign lending, the interdependence of the international banking system and the potential instability in the world financial system.

This book provides a comparative analysis of the several types of banking structure and the ways in which banks undertake their business. It surveys central banking arrangements in a number of countries. Against an historical background, it describes banking systems ranging from the so-called 'unit banking' of the USA to the branch banking arrangements that derive from British experience, as well as many systems in between. The business of banking is analysed comparatively within the framework of a simplified bank balance sheet, special attention being given to industrial banking and to assets and liabilities management. It explores how money markets function and, within this framework, how central banks operate and attempt to implement monetary and credit policy. The book includes the results of extensive new research, part of which involved interviewing many key figures throughout the banking industry.

In Warren Buffett: Inside the Ultimate Money Mind, Hagstrom breaks new ground with a deep analysis of Buffett's essential wisdom, an intricate mosaic of wide-ranging ideas and insights that Buffett calls a Money Mind. What exactly is a Money Mind? At one level, it's a way of thinking about major financial issues such as capital allocation. At another level, it summarizes an overall mindset for successfully investing in today's fast-paced stock market, a mindset that depends on a commitment to learning, adapting, and facing down irrelevant noise. This is not a method book. It is a thinking book. Warren Buffett: Inside the Ultimate Money Mind explains the philosophies of self-reliance, stoicism, rationalism, and pragmatism and their contributions to making intelligent investment decisions. It also outlines the evolution of value investing, discusses how to develop a business-driven investing mindset, and describes the defining traits of successful active management. Lastly, it examines the surprising aspects of a Money Mind - sportsman, teacher, and artist. In short, Warren Buffett: Inside the Ultimate Money Mind helps readers understand the building blocks that go into making a Money Mind so they can begin to incorporate its principles in the service to a life of value. Testimonials "An erudite masterpiece..." -Lawrence A. Cunningham, author; professor and director, Quality Shareholders Initiative, George Washington University "It's another must-read..." -Bethany McLean, journalist and Contributing Editor, Vanity Fair, author, Saudi America and co-author The Smartest Guys in the Room "Pure Genius! This is a game changer in investment books..." -Robert P. Miles, author; Executive in Residence, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Executive MBA Program, 'The Genius of Warren Buffett' "Effervescence and thoughtful analysis of Buffett's life and work..." -Tom Gayner, Co-chief Executive Officer, Markel Corporation "Hagstrom's books always enable readers to think about the world in new ways..." -Tren Griffin, author, Charlie Munger: The Complete Investor

Death on the Installment Plan is a companion volume to Louis-Ferdinand Celine's earlier novel, Journey to the End of the Night. Published in rapid succession in the middle 1930s, these two books shocked European literature and world consciousness. Nominally fiction but more rightly called "creative confessions," they told of the author's childhood in excoriating Paris slums, of service in the mud wastes of World War I and African jungles. Mixing unmitigated despair with Gargantuan comedy, they also created a new style, in which invective and obscenity were laced with phrases of unforgettable poetry. Celine's influence revolutionized the contemporary approach to fiction. Under a cloud for a period, his work is now acknowledged as the forerunner of today's "black humor."

Breaking new ground in its innovative blend of quantitative and qualitative methods, the book essentially argues that another sort of growth is indeed possible. While offering specific insights for regional leaders and analysts of metropolitan areas, the authors also draw a broader - and quite timely - set of conclusions about how to scale up these efforts to address a U.S. economy still seeking to recover from economic crisis and ameliorate distributional divisions.

The recent global economic crisis has drawn a spotlight on the world of finance. Financial exchanges are changing, and this insightful, new book examines the manner and reasons for these changes.

Financial Exchanges: A Comparative Approach offers an in-depth analysis of this sector. Surveying thirty different financial exchanges, including stock, derivative, commodity and offshore exchanges, this book examines the challenges they face and the ways in which they are adapting. The book includes a pertinent chapter on the dominance of derivatives, examining a number of derivative exchanges in detail.

Taking in a host of international exchange powerhouses, including those in Hong Kong, Shanghai, London, New York and the Persian Gulf, this book will benefit students taking courses on financial markets and institutions, as well as professionals interested in international financial markets.

The recent global economic crisis has drawn a spotlight on the world of finance. Financial exchanges are changing, and this insightful, new book examines the manner and reasons for these changes.

Financial Exchanges: A Comparative Approach offers an in-depth analysis of this sector. Surveying thirty different financial exchanges, including stock, derivative, commodity and offshore exchanges, this book examines the challenges they face and the ways in which they are adapting. The book includes a pertinent chapter on the dominance of derivatives, examining a number of derivative exchanges in detail.

Taking in a host of international exchange powerhouses, including those in Hong Kong, Shanghai, London, New York and the Persian Gulf, this book will benefit students taking courses on financial markets and institutions, as well as professionals interested in international financial markets.

Given the rapid pace of development in economics and finance, a concise and up-to-date introduction to mathematical methods has become a prerequisite for all graduate students, even those not specializing in quantitative finance. This book offers an introductory text on mathematical methods for graduate students of economics and finance-and leading to the more advanced subject of quantum mathematics. The content is divided into five major sections: mathematical methods are covered in the first four sections, and can be taught in one semester. The book begins by focusing on the core subjects of linear algebra and calculus, before moving on to the more advanced topics of probability theory and stochastic calculus. Detailed derivations of the Black-Scholes and Merton equations are provided - in order to clarify the mathematical underpinnings of stochastic calculus. Each chapter of the first four sections includes a problem set, chiefly drawn from economics and finance. In turn, section five addresses quantum mathematics. The mathematical topics covered in the first four sections are sufficient for the study of quantum mathematics; Black-Scholes option theory and Merton's theory of corporate debt are among topics analyzed using quantum mathematics.

Spanning over two millennia of time and five continents of space, this book narrates the unfolding of financial and business reporting. The first part of the book traces the origin of the 'company' as a form of organization and the evolution of bookkeeping. The second part: The Accounting Edifice, depicts events that led to the disclosure of the balance sheet, the profit and loss account, cash flow statements and the practice of auditing. In the third part: Reaching out to the Shareholders, the author explores the need for governance, reporting of intangible assets and the emergence of annual reports. Indian Corporate Disclosures, the fourth and the last part, sketches the panorama of post-independent dvelopments in Indian corporate disclosures using heritage IT companies, Wipro and Infosys as examples. The last chapter of the book contrasts disclosures by the Indian Sensex companies in 2007 with the best global practices.

"Big Money, Less Risk: Trade Options" will put the income boosting power of strategies like writing covered calls, selling naked put options, and placing vertical spread trades or iron condors in your hands. Mark Larson has become one of the most sought after trading educators because of his ability to make once elusive investment approaches accessible to every trader.

Success in the stock market is determined by consistently making money every month, not closing your eyes and hoping you can afford to retire. With this book, Larson divulges the secrets to making your money work for you instead of having to work for your money.

Ever dream about making 30% in one month?

"Big Money, Less Risk: Trade Options" will put the income boosting power of strategies like writing covered calls, selling naked put options, and placing vertical spread trades or iron condors in your hands. Mark Larson has become one of the most sought after trading educators because of his ability to make once elusive investment approaches accessible to every trader.

Success in the stock market is determined by consistently making money every month, not closing your eyes and hoping you can afford to retire. With this book, Larson divulges the secrets to making your money work for you instead of having to work for your money.

Inside you'll learn: How to repeatedly make money when the market goes up or down.Investment strategies that allow for huge returns with the use of very little money.How to purchase good stocks at discount prices.How to make significant returns even if you are wrong on the trade.

Larson will alo cover the importance of option pricing, implied volatility, the Greeks such as delta, theta, and gamma, and the probability of your option expiring profitable. Most important, you will get, in plain English, some of his favorite technical indicators and the key to how they will form the basis of your options trading success.

During the last ten years the Islamic banking sector has grown rapidly, at an international level, as well as in individual jurisdictions including the UK. Islamic finance differs quite substantially from conventional banking, using very different mechanisms, and operating according to a different theory as it is based on Islamic law. Yet at the same time it is always subject to the law of the particular financial market in which it operates. This book takes a much-needed and comprehensive look at the legal and regulatory aspects which affect Islamic finance law, and examines the current UK and international banking regulatory frameworks which impact on this sector. The book examines the historical genesis of Islamic banking, looking at how it has developed in Muslim countries before going on to consider the development of Islamic banking in the UK and the legal position of Islamic banks within English law. The book explores company, contract, and some elements of tax law and traces the impact it has had on the development of Islamic banking in the UK, before going on to argue that the current legal and regulatory framework which affects the Islamic banking sector has on certain occasions had an unintended adverse impact on Islamic banking in the UK. The book also provides an overview of the Malaysian experience in relation to some of the main legal and regulatory challenges in the context of Islamic banking and finance.

A volume in both Research in Management Consulting, Series Editor Anthony F. Buono, Bentley University and Contemporary Trends in Organization Development and Change, Series Editors Peter Sorensen, Benedictine University and Therese Yaeger, Benedictine University This volume is a joint publication in the Research in Management Consulting and Contemporary Trends in Organizational Change and Development series. This dual focus reflects the reality that consulting for organizational change is a special type of management consultation, a complex field of endeavor that requires a broad range of skills and competencies. To be truly effective, change-related consulting requires a unique client-consultant relationship, a special set of consulting skills, an expertise in human and organizational systems, and significant personal qualities. It is in high demand in a world full of change. Yet, we still know relatively little theoretically about this type of consulting and have relatively little empirical evidence about what actually works and why. As the contributors amply illustrate, the Organization Development (OD) field has a well developed set of frameworks, technologies, and models of change. Still we need to focus on and learn more about the role of the OD consultant as a special kind of change agent. A goal of this joint volume is to increase that specific body of knowledge and provide an illustration of much needed collaboration in bringing all possible resources to bear on our understanding of an increasingly critical and essential form of consulting.

Modeling and Forecasting Electricity Loads and Prices offers an in-depth and up-to-date review of different statistical tools that can be used to analyze and forecast the dynamics of two crucial for every energy company processes - electricity prices and loads. It provides coverage of seasonal decomposition, mean reversion, heavy-tailed distributions, exponential smoothing, spike preprocessing, autoregressive time series - including models with exogenous variables and heteroskedastic (GARCH) components, regime-switching models, interval forecasts, jump-diffusion models, derivatives pricing and the market price of risk.

An accompanying CD containing both the data and detailed examples of implementation of different techniques in Matlab will enable readers to retrace all the intermediate steps of a practical implementation of a model and test their understanding of the method and correctness of the computer code using the same input data.

The book will be of particular interest to the quants employed by the utilities, independent power generators and marketers, energy trading desks of the hedge funds and financial institutions, and the executives attending courses designed to help them to rush up on their technical skills. The text will be also of use to graduate students in electrical engineering, econometrics and fiance wanting to get a grip on advanced Statistical tools applied in this hot area. Complete with sixteen case studies, this book is a highly practical, self-contained tutorial to electricity load and price modeling and forecasting.

"the ability to predict correctly the system load, customer specific load and the electricity prices is of critical importance to anyregulated utility, independent power producer, power marketers and traders. Given high volatility of electricity prices, even a small forecasting error can have a very significant impact on the bottom line. Dr. Weron's book provides an in-depth, up-to-date and very well organized review of Statistical techniques for forecasting power load and prices and is highly recommended to any practitioner of the modern electricity markets."
-- Vince Kaminski, Managing Director, Citigroup, Houston and Adjunct Professor, Rice University, Houston

The most complete, step-by-step guide to the ACFS qualification The Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist Handbook is the only guide designed to support all mandatory elements of the ACFS qualification, in-depth and step-by-step. Written by recognized industry leaders, this book focuses specifically on the practitioner's role in fraud investigation in England and Wales, providing complete information about each stage in the investigative process. Readers gain access to all of the information needed to successfully complete the ACFS qualification, and to develop an awareness of the key skills required to undertake efficient, legally compliant, professional investigations. The book includes a Directory of Useful Information, featuring legislation, codes of practice, model forms, and more. As incidence of fraud continues to rise, many organisations are recruiting more Counter Fraud Specialists, and mandating Continuous Professional Development for established CFSs. The Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist (ACFS) is a recognized qualification in the field, and is mandatory for investigators in many organisations throughout the public and private sectors. The Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist Handbook is a complete guide to the qualification, both for CPD and first-time qualifiers. * Gain a deeper understanding of the legislation related to fraud and investigation * Learn the surveillance and intelligence gathering techniques that build a solid case * Review the rules of evidence and statement taking guidelines * Follow courtroom procedures and prepare a thorough prosecution file The professional qualification of ACFS, which is endorsed by the Counter Fraud Professional Accreditation Board, requires both practical and written assessments that demonstrate successful knowledge transfer and understanding of all key concepts of the investigative process. For anyone tasked with the responsibility of countering fraud, The Accredited Counter Fraud Specialist Handbook is a comprehensive guide to the investigative process.

Transform your relationship with money into one that powers true wellbeing. Money can buy happiness when you spend it on wellness. In Happy Money Happy Life: A Multidimensional Approach to Health, Wealth, and Financial Freedom, celebrated writer, speaker, and entrepreneur Jason Vitug delivers an exciting and practical discussion at the intersection of our mental and emotional health and our money. You'll explore the importance of physical and spiritual wellbeing, the interconnectedness of environmental comfort, meaningful work, and social connections as you learn to live a healthier, wealthier, and happier life. With insightful takeaways from happiness research, you'll understand how money weaves itself into every aspect of your life and how you can masterfully use it to choose happiness. In the book, you'll find: Descriptions of the 8 dimensions of wellness and a hands-on framework you can use to achieve your financial and life goals 4 key principles to living a happier life A holistic strategy for transforming your relationship with money into one that improves every aspect of your wellbeing An indispensable roadmap to mental strength, physical health, financial success, and emotional intelligence, Happy Money Happy Life is ideal for professionals, managers, workers, executives, and other business leaders ready to explore the possibility that life is about joy and happiness, not merely titles and salaries.

Corporate actions are events that affect large corporations through to the individual investor - even those that own a single-share All organizations that hold equity and debt securities for themselves and/or on behalf of others are affected when the issuer of a security announces an income or corporate action event. The successful management of the array of different event types requires understanding of the inherent risks, and tight controls at critical points in the event lifecycle. The management of income and corporate action events are important and essential parts of the securities industry business. Written by authors with many years experience within this sector, Corporate Actions: A Guide to Securities Event Management sets out to demystify the subject and provides a thorough, step-by-step introduction to corporate actions and income events.
Corporate Actions is a comprehensive source for understanding a major component of operational processing. The individual components and their relation to each other within the corporate actions lifecycle are explained in detail, through which the reader will gain a clear and thorough understanding of the lifecycle together with potential processing risks and the strategies to mitigate
Corporate Actions is essential reading for all those involved in the securities industry, from new recruits to those involved in both the day-to-day operations process and those within executive management. It will also prove invaluable to those providing consultancy and software solutions to the securities industry.
Corporate Actions is the first major work on this subject. Many people within the securities industry have heard of corporate actions - many people know they can be highly risky - many organizations have lost vast sums of cash in attempting to process them - very few understand them

The book focuses on smart computing for crowdfunding usage, looking at the crowdfunding landscape, e.g., reward-, donation-, equity-, P2P-based and the crowdfunding ecosystem, e.g., regulator, asker, backer, investor, and operator. The increased complexity of fund raising scenario, driven by the broad economic environment as well as the need for using alternative funding sources, has sparked research in smart computing techniques. Covering a wide range of detailed topics, the authors of this book offer an outstanding overview of the current state of the art; providing deep insights into smart computing methods, tools, and their applications in crowdfunding; exploring the importance of smart analysis, prediction, and decision-making within the fintech industry. This book is intended to be an authoritative and valuable resource for professional practitioners and researchers alike, as well as finance engineering, and computer science students who are interested in crowdfunding and other emerging fintech topics.

The recession and concerns over industrial competitiveness in the 1980s generated public concern with job retention and creation, leading to state and local programs designed to stimulate local economic development. As a new, rapidly growing field, local economic development literature proliferated, but has not provided a comprehensive source for the field. Several questions are of particular concern: What are the major financing mechanisms for economic development? How do they actually work? How does one evaluate their effectiveness? Financing Economic Development is a comprehensive resource which describes the major mechanisms available for financing economic development. The chapters describe financing tools or programs in some detail; provide one or more examples of how they work; classify the tool according to various approaches; and come to an evaluative conclusion about the utility and effectiveness of the mechanism for economic development. A documentation of institutional innovation by state and local government, this volume shows how governments--across the United Statesuare working with private sector financiers, thereby allowing private intermediaries to invest in new enterprises. With contributions by highly qualified practitioners and academics, this volume is appropriate for professionals as well as for upper division undergraduate and graduate students in urban studies, public administration, and policy studies. "The book provides useful information by presenting a considerable number of institutional arrangements and showing the immense variety of approaches to economic development on the state and local level. The latter aspect is particularly fascinating for readers from countries with a less fragmented government than the United States." --Journal of Evolutionary Economics "Although there have been a plethora of publications on economic development, this book is a useful addition to the body of literature on the subject. The book provides some useful examples and case studies of private-sector participation, which, of course, is the goal of most economic development programs." --Government Finance Review

Target high returns and greater consistency with this insightful guide from a leading investor The market volatility exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic has led many to question their exposure to risk in their own portfolios. But what should one do about it? In Risk Parity: How to Invest for All Market Environments, accomplished investment consultant Alex Shahidi delivers a powerful approach to portfolio management that reduces the potential for significant capital loss while maintaining an attractive expected return. The book focuses on allocating capital amongst four diverse asset classes: equities, commodities, Treasury bonds, and Treasury Inflation Protected Securities. You'll learn about: The nature of risk and why traditional approaches to risk management unnecessarily give up potential returns or inadequately protect against catastrophic market events Why proper risk management is more important now than ever How to efficiently implement a risk parity approach Perfect for both individual and professional investors, Risk Parity is a must-have resource for anyone seeking to increase consistency in their portfolio by building a truly balanced asset allocation.

This book focuses on the comprehensive grasp and analysis of the financial data of ZLCs in 2020 and in-depth observations by ZLCA for many years. This book objectively presents the capital market distribution, overall scale, profitability, innovation ability and social contribution of ZLCs from multiple dimensions and carries out thematic analysis and research on the high proportion of accounts receivable to current assets in ZLCs in recent years, aiming at objectively presenting their competitive strength and development status. Whether you are an investor, an economic researcher or the general public interested in Z-Park, this book is an important way for you to understand the latest development of Z-Park and the high-quality listed companies in Z-Park.