As from 2012, the International Monetary Institution (IMI) of the Renmin University of China publishes annual reports on the internationalization of RMB. This series of annual reports create and publish the RMB Internationalization Index (RII). Besides, they focus on one topic in each year's report. This book focuses on the offshore RMB markets. It studies several major international currencies' historical developments to summarize theoretical implications between currency internationalization process and its offshore market development. It reviews the recent development of RMB offshore markets, identifies key opportunities and challenges, and proposes some suggestions to policy makers and market practitioners. The RII will continue to rise as the RMB plays a more and more important role in international trades and financial transactions. The establishment and development of RMB offshore markets will facilitate the internationalization process of the RMB.

This book provides a practical analysis of the typical investments and funding sources of depository institutions. With a particular emphasis on mortgage-related investments (ARMs, CMOs, IOs, and POs), state-of-the-art valuation models are included that incorporate both call and default risk. Equity funding issues are also analyzed in detail. In addition, the author summarizes the history of the depository institution crisis, discusses the future outlook, and suggests a creative solution to the deposit insurance crisis that permits government deposit insurance without risk or cost to taxpayers.

After proposing a system of private deposit insurance backed by minimal market-to-market collateral requirements, the author focuses on micro topics. In particular, the book includes a comprehensive evaluation of default risk data, precise equations for valuing complex mortgage securities, a theoretical model for making hedging and capital adequacy decisions (including an econometric model for estimating the return on the market portfolio and market risk premiums), and a practical discounted cash flow valuation model for analyzing depository institution stock (that incorporates financial statement items and footnotes as well as mortgage prepayments and the term structure of interest rates). The work represents an excellent handbook for financial institution executives, consultants, regulators, investors, and students.

Explores how the financial industry will be affected by developments in blockchain and cryptocurrencies at the dawn of a new digital age in finance Our financial system is in the midst of a digital revolution. Blockchain, viewed by many experts as "the most important invention since the Internet," has changed the way we exchange value and information. Although most people are aware of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, few understand how security tokens--digitized forms of traditional ownership certificates--can drive blockchain to reach its fullest potential by offering investors features and innovations that are simply not possible with paper certificates. Digital Finance: Security Tokens and Unlocking the Real Potential of Blockchain explains how the integration of blockchain and security token technology will transform the current financial infrastructure and radically improve efficiency, transparency, and security. Using clear language and an easy-to-follow framework, author Baxter Hines draws upon his decades' experience in the financial industry to address how the digitization of assets will drive cost reductions, enhance flexibility, and pave the way for new business models and revenue streams for years to come. Filled with real-world case studies and expert insights on the latest opportunities and trends, such as the COVID-19 pandemic's role in accelerating the adoption of blockchain, this must-have resource: Shows how blockchain and distributed ledger technology are disrupting the financial industry Explains what security tokens are and why they are the next major breakthrough for investing Highlights how blockchain technology has created new and more efficient ways of fund raising and investing Identifies the ways companies like IBM, Fidelity Investments, and AXA are deploying blockchain and tokenized solutions Describes how assets only available to institutional investors could become marketed to the mainstream Discusses the impact that security tokens will have on real assets such as stocks, real estate, bonds, and derivatives Provides insight into how central banks around the world are embracing blockchain and beginning to issue digital currencies Digital Finance: Security Tokens and Unlocking the Real Potential of Blockchain is essential reading for financial professionals, general investors, finance and technology students, regulators, legal professionals, and users of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology.

A gripping and entertaining memoir that shines a rare light on the people that are reshaping our world.

Veteran Morgan Stanley banker Alok Sama thought he’d seen it all. Then he found himself chief dealmaker at the most influential technology investor in the world: SoftBank, backer of Arm Holdings, Yahoo, Nvidia, TikTok, Uber, T-Mobile, Alibaba and WeWork.

The Money Trap is Sama’s thrilling, stranger-than-fiction story, detailing his experiences alongside SoftBank’s iconic founder Masayoshi Son – a visionary maverick who wants to be remembered as ‘the crazy guy who bet on the future’ and whose mission is ‘happiness for everyone’. Sama takes the reader on a wild ride as he consorts with billionaire CEOs and heads of state, negotiates mega-deals across the world and contends with a mysterious dark-arts smear campaign that takes a toll on his private life.

This fascinating and humorous saga provides a unique insider perspective on an industry that is disrupting our daily lives. Written with self-deprecating wit, unflinching honesty and searing introspection, The Money Trap is ultimately a morality tale: in life, as in technology investing, more money isn’t always the answer.

Norman Bruce Ream was born in southwestern Pennsylvania in 1844, the son of a farmer. He exhibited a commercial sense early on when he nursed a lame duck back to health and sold it for a profit. But the Civil War interrupted his mercantile ambitions. Wounded twice and promoted to lieutenant, he came home a hero. He went west after the war and became a merchant, first in Illinois and then Iowa. His businesses failed. Undeterred, he headed for Chicago and the Union Stock Yards. He worked as a commission merchant, but then traded his mud-caked boots for French kid boots and became a trader at the Board of Trade. His analytical mind was made for the grain and provision pits. Money poured in especially after helping in one of P.D. Armour's pork corners; Ream had quickly become one of the city's best plungers. By the mid-1880s, he was married and the father of several children - and also a millionaire. He lived on Chicago's Prairie Avenue alongside the likes of George M. Pullman and Marshall Field. He began investing in real estate, urban transit companies, and railroad stock. Another millionaire neighbor, John W.Doane, interested him in consolidating and financing industrial enterprises. At the end of the 1890s, Mr. Ream had been involved in the creation of such companies as Glucose Sugar Refining, National Biscuit, and Federal Steel. Finance capitalism, however, was based primarily on Wall Street. So, by the turn of the century, Mr. Ream was traveling to New York City, impressing financiers like J. Pierpont Morgan. He would help Morgan put together the United States Steel Corporation and International Harvester Company, and serve on the board of directors of many enterprises. He would also be at Morgan's side during the banking panic of 1907. After the move, Ream and his family lived in a luxury apartment in New York City and a mansion in Connecticut. But life became turbulent in his remaining years. Public sentiment soured towards Wall Street and the wealthy (to include Norman B. Ream). This, along with social indiscretions from some of his children, kept the Ream name in the press well after his death in 1915. Then, gradually, his life was forgotten.

This revised and fully expanded edition of Understanding Investments continues to incorporate the elements of traditional textbooks on investments, but goes further in that the material is presented from an intuitive, practical point of view, and the supplementary material included in each chapter lends itself to both class discussion and further reading by students. It provides the essential tools to navigate complex, global financial markets and instruments including relevant (and classic) academic research and market perspectives. The author has developed a number of key innovative features. One unique feature is its economic angle, whereby each chapter includes a section dedicated to the economic analysis of that chapter's material. Additionally, all chapters contain sections on strategies that investors can apply in specific situations and the pros and cons of each are also discussed. The book provides further clarification of some of the concepts discussed in the previous edition, thereby offering a more detailed analysis and discussion, with more real-world examples. The author has added new, shorter text boxes, labeled "Market Flash" to highlight the use of, or changes in current practices in the field; updates on strategies as applied by professionals; provision of useful information for an investor; updates on regulations; and anything else that might be relevant in discussing and applying a concept. This second edition also includes new sections on core issues in the field of investments, such as alternative investments, disruptive technologies, and future trends in investment management. This textbook is intended for undergraduate students majoring or minoring in finance and also for students in economics and related disciplines who wish to take an elective course in finance or investments.

The over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives market has captured the attention of regulators after the Global Financial Crisis due to the risk it poses to financial stability. Under the post-crisis regulatory reform the concentration of business, and risks, among a few major players is changed by the concentration of a large portion of transactions in the new market infrastructures, the Central Counterparties (CCPs). This book, for the first time, analyses the regulatory response of the United Kingdom and the United States, the two largest centres of OTC derivatives transactions, and highlights their shortcomings. The book uses a normative risk-based approach to regulation as a methodological lens to analyse the UK regime of CCPs in the OTC derivatives market. It specifically focuses on prudential supervision and conduct of business rules governing OTC derivatives transactions and the move towards enhancing the use of central clearing. The resulting analysis, from a normative risk based approach, suggests that the UK regime for CCPs does not fulfil what would be expected if a coherent risk based approach was taken. Our comments on the Dodd-Frank Act highlight that the incoherent adoption of risk-based approach to regulation affects the effectiveness of the US regime for CCPs. Such a regime does not follow the pace of events of 'innovation risk'; in particular, the foreseeable changes FinTech will bring to the OTCDM and central clearing services. The second inadequacy of the US regime concerns the dual regulatory structure of the CFTC and the SEC, and the inadequate adoption of different and not well-coordinated regulatory strategies. We also analyse the cross-border implications of the US regime for non-US CCPs that provide clearing services to US market participants. Finally, we study the negative effects of the absence of a clearly defined resolution regime for CCPs.

Practitioners in risk management are familiar with the use of the FHS (filtered historical simulation) to finding realistic simulations of security returns. This approach has become increasingly popular over the last fifteen years, as it is both flexible and reliable, and is now being accepted in the academic community. Simulating Security Returns is a useful guide for researchers, students, and practitioners. It uses the FHS approach to help simulate the returns of large portfolios of securities. While other simulation methods use the covariance matrix of security returns, which suffers the curse of dimensionality even for modest portfolios, Barone Adesi demonstrates how FHS can accurately adjust to current market conditions.

The steadily rising number of investor-State arbitration proceedings within the EU has triggered an extensive backlash and an increased questioning of the international investment law regime by different Member States as well as the EU Commission. This has resulted in the EU's assertion of control over the intra-EU investment regime by promoting the termination of bilateral intra-EU investment treaties (intra-EU BITs) and by opposing the jurisdiction of arbitral tribunals in intra-EU investor-State arbitration proceedings. Against the backdrop of the landmark Achmea decision of the European Court of Justice, the book offers an in-depth analysis of the interplay of international investment law and the law of the European Union with regard to intra-EU investments, i.e. investments undertaken by an investor from one EU Member State within the territory of another EU Member State. It specifically analyses the conflict between the two investment protection regimes applicable within the EU with a particular emphasis on the compatibility of the international legal instruments with the law of the European Union. The book thereby addresses the more general question of the relationship between EU law and international law and offers a conceptual framework of intra-European investment protection based on the analysis of all intra-EU BITs, the Energy Charter Treaty and EU law, as well as the arbitral practice in over 180 intra-EU investor-State arbitration proceedings. Finally, the book develops possible solutions to reconcile the international legal standards of protection with the regionalized transnational law of the European Union.

Your guide to investing for a more sustainable world Investing in one's own future has always been a good financial move. But what if you want to ensure that the companies you have a financial interest in are also helping to improve the present and future of all of us--and of the planet? More than ever before, sustainable investors want to be confident that a company's Environmental (net zero emissions target), Social (response to the Covid-19 pandemic), and Governance (no repeats of Enron and WorldCom) policies and actions are positively impacting the global outlook--and to identify ways that their dollar can incentivize business leaders to do even better. The worldwide rise of an Environmental, Socially Responsible, and Governance (ESG) approach to investing shows you're not alone, and the $30+ trillion--and growing--committed in this way says it's already become a transformative global movement. ESG provides a framework for evaluating companies that, unlike unrelated investment strategies, informs and guides sustainable investment. Even if you're a novice investor, ESG For Dummies will allow you to hit this new investing landscape running, providing you with measurable ways to factor ESG into company performance, see how these are reflected in your investment return, and show how you can monitor companies to ensure your money is being put to ethical use. You'll also become familiar with the big names to follow in the ESG world, how they're already effecting positive change, and how you can help. Identify the drivers for each category of ESG Define and measure material ESG factors for investing success Understand principles for building a diversified sustainable portfolio Recognize material ESG factors effect on company performance ESG investing introduces powerful tools to do real and lasting good: this book shows you how to use them to help make everyone's future, including your own, much more secure.

Real Estate Crowdfunding: An Insider’s Guide to Investing Online introduces the reader to basic real estate investment concepts and then takes a deep dive into how to invest passively yet wisely in real estate syndications. This book will teach the reader how to: • invest in crowdfunded real estate syndicates • understand key financial concepts used in the industry • diversify their investment portfolios • read between the lines of investment contracts • maximize profit while minimizing losses This book is a guide to the foundational financial concepts upon which all real estate projects are based and explains the language of real estate from an insider’s perspective. It provides a road map of what to watch for and how to win at the game of passive real estate investing.

Real Estate Crowdfunding: An Insider's Guide to Investing Online introduces the reader to basic real estate investment concepts and then takes a deep dive into how to invest passively yet wisely in real estate syndications. This book will teach the reader how to: * invest in crowdfunded real estate syndicates * understand key financial concepts used in the industry * diversify their investment portfolios * read between the lines of investment contracts * maximize profit while minimizing losses This book is a guide to the foundational financial concepts upon which all real estate projects are based and explains the language of real estate from an insider's perspective. It provides a road map of what to watch for and how to win at the game of passive real estate investing.

In the space of three years, from 2009 to 2012 Bernie Madoff, Tom Petters and R. Allen Stanford were all convicted for running multi-billion dollar Ponzi schemes. These three schemes alone have had the largest financial take in U.S. history. But what role does the economy and legislation play in the occurrences of Ponzi schemes? What is the nature of Ponzi schemes and what are their tools and mechanisms? What can we know about Ponzi perpetrators? Unraveling the answers to these questions (and many more), Marie Springer provides the first representative portrait of Ponzi schemes, their perpetrators, and their victims. Adopting a multidisciplinary approach, she begins by presenting an overview of different types of Ponzi schemes. She later explores perpetrators and victims of Ponzi schemes followed by a close examination of economic trends, regulatory changes, and the financial relationship with Ponzi schemes. Other key features include: * A non-technical overview of both offender based and offense-based approaches of studying this form of fraud. * Examples of Ponzi schemes and Ponzi schemers. * A wealth of descriptive statistics on known federal cases from the 1960s until the present to quantify this specific form of fraud. Broadening our understanding of Ponzi schemes as a form of white-collar crime, The Politics of Ponzi Schemes provides an excellent foundation for students and practitioners of public administration, banking, as well as investors, finance and accounting, law enforcement officers, legislators and regulators.

The essential guide to today's hottest technical indicator-the Ichimoku Kinko Hyo cloud chart

Ichimoku Kinko Hyo is a technical system that illustrates support and resistance values in a simplified form and is considered an extension of the very popular candlestick charting system. In fact, the system was built on the idea that at "one glance" you should be able to determine whether an instrument is in equilibrium (consolidation) or out of equilibrium (trending).

Written in a straightforward and accessible style, "Trading with Ichimoku Clouds" offers a solid foundation in this discipline as well as its technical strategies. It shows you how to create and implement a trading plan based on this approach that can easily be tailored to your trading style.First available U.S. publication on this hot trading trendReveals how Ichimoku Clouds work in both bullish and bearish marketsHighlights how these strategies can easily be adopted for stocks, futures, bonds, and other vehiclesWorks with all timeframes and all tradable instruments

Filled with in-depth insights and expert advice, "Trading with Ichimoku Clouds" will help you implement a proven strategy designed to capture trends that maximize profits and minimize losses. Furthermore, the user will be taken step by step through the entire decision-making process of trading an instrument for two years (back test).

Literature on China's finance in the West has focused on "financial repression" in its highly regulated financial markets. However, fundamental changes in China's financial system are underway and China's peer-to-peer (P2P) lending is now the largest in the world. This book uses exclusive researches, interviews and surveys to bring readers a clear picture of the rapidly developing P2P lending industry in China. It is comprised of two parts. The first part is a comprehensive analysis of China's P2P lending industry. It outlines the factors behind the meteoric rise of P2P lending in China, and also the challenges its rapid rise has posed. The second part is a panoramic survey of China's P2P lending industry with study of typical cases, which could also provide reference to the analysis in the first part. Besides, it introduces the existing relevant regulations, regulators, likely upcoming regulatory measures as well as the diverse body of new financial institutions appearing with the development of the industry, to analyse in-depth the current functioning of the industry in China and its lending practices through a large scale survey.

This book is about accounting in an alternative libertarian socialist economic system. It explores what information and transactions we need to enable democratic and effective financial decisions by those affected by the decisions. Based on the economic model, participatory economics, the author proposes a set of accounting principles for an economy comprised of common ownership of productive resources, worker and consumer councils, and democratic planning, promoting the model's core values. The author tackles questions such as how accounting could be organised in an economy with no private equity owners or private lenders and creditors that is not based on greed and competition but instead on cooperation and solidarity. A large part of the book is focused on issues regarding investments; thus, he asks how and on what basis decisions are made about the allocation of an economy's production between consumption today and investments that enable more consumption in the future, and how investments are accounted for. He also considers how investments in capital assets and production facilities would be decided, financed, and valued if they are not owned by private capital owners and if allocation does not take place through markets but through a form of democratic planning. In answering these questions and more, the author demonstrates that alternative economic systems are indeed possible, and not merely lofty utopias that cannot be put into practice, and inspires further discussion about economic vision. By applying accounting to a new economic setting and offering both technical information and the author's bold vision, this book is a comprehensive and valuable supplementary text for courses touching on critical accounting theory. It will also appeal to readers interested in alternative kinds of economies.

Long gone are the times when investors could make decisions based on intuition. Modern asset management draws on a wide-range of fields beyond financial theory: economics, financial accounting, econometrics/statistics, management science, operations research (optimization and Monte Carlo simulation), and more recently, data science (Big Data, machine learning, and artificial intelligence). The challenge in writing an institutional asset management book is that when tools from these different fields are applied in an investment strategy or an analytical framework for valuing securities, it is assumed that the reader is familiar with the fundamentals of these fields. Attempting to explain strategies and analytical concepts while also providing a primer on the tools from other fields is not the most effective way of describing the asset management process. Moreover, while an increasing number of investment models have been proposed in the asset management literature, there are challenges and issues in implementing these models. This book provides a description of the tools used in asset management as well as a more in-depth explanation of specialized topics and issues covered in the companion book, Fundamentals of Institutional Asset Management. The topics covered include the asset management business and its challenges, the basics of financial accounting, securitization technology, analytical tools (financial econometrics, Monte Carlo simulation, optimization models, and machine learning), alternative risk measures for asset allocation, securities finance, implementing quantitative research, quantitative equity strategies, transaction costs, multifactor models applied to equity and bond portfolio management, and backtesting methodologies. This pedagogic approach exposes the reader to the set of interdisciplinary tools that modern asset managers require in order to extract profits from data and processes.

The book aims to prioritise what needs mastering and presents the content in the most understandable, concise and pedagogical way illustrated by real market examples. Given the variety and the complexity of the materials the book covers, the author sorts through a vast array of topics in a subjective way, relying upon more than twenty years of experience as a market practitioner. The book only requires the reader to be knowledgeable in the basics of algebra and statistics.

The Mathematical formulae are only fully proven when the proof brings some useful insight. These formulae are translated from algebra into plain English to aid understanding as the vast majority of practitioners involved in the financial markets are not required to compute or calculate prices or sensitivities themselves as they have access to data providers. Thus, the intention of this book is for the practitioner to gain a deeper understanding of these calculations, both for a safety reason - it is better to understand what is behind the data we manipulate - and secondly being able to appreciate the magnitude of the prices we are confronted with and being able to draft a rough calculation, aside of the market data.

The author has avoided excessive formalism where possible. Formalism is securing the outputs of research, but may, in other circumstances, burden the understanding by non-mathematicians; an example of this case is in the chapter dedicated to the basis of stochastic calculus.

The book is divided into two parts:

- First, the deterministic world, starting from the yield curve building and related calculations (spot rates, forward rates, discrete versus continuous compounding, etc.), and continuing with spot instruments valuation (short term rates, bonds, currencies and stocks) and forward instruments valuation (forward forex, FRAs and variants, swaps & futures);

- Second, the probabilistic world, starting with the basis of stochastic calculus and the alternative approach of ARMA to GARCH, and continuing with derivative pricing: options, second generation options, volatility, credit derivatives;

- This second part is completed by a chapter dedicated to market performance & risk measures, and a chapter widening the scope of quantitative models beyond the Gaussian hypothesis and evidencing the potential troubles linked to derivative pricing models.

This book presents 20 peer-reviewed chapters on current aspects of derivatives markets and derivative pricing. The contributions, written by leading researchers in the field as well as experienced authors from the financial industry, present the state of the art in: * Modeling counterparty credit risk: credit valuation adjustment, debit valuation adjustment, funding valuation adjustment, and wrong way risk. * Pricing and hedging in fixed-income markets and multi-curve interest-rate modeling. * Recent developments concerning contingent convertible bonds, the measuring of basis spreads, and the modeling of implied correlations. The recent financial crisis has cast tremendous doubts on the classical view on derivative pricing. Now, counterparty credit risk and liquidity issues are integral aspects of a prudent valuation procedure and the reference interest rates are represented by a multitude of curves according to their different periods and maturities. A panel discussion included in the book (featuring Damiano Brigo, Christian Fries, John Hull, and Daniel Sommer) on the foundations of modeling and pricing in the presence of counterparty credit risk provides intriguing insights on the debate.

The latest edition of the popular collection of in-depth portraits of extraordinary value investors, featuring new profiles and updates The second edition of The Value Investors presents a collection of investing legend profiles from around the world. Chapters explore the investors' backgrounds, cultures, and personal stories, and reveal how life experiences have shaped their investment strategies and mindsets. This fascinating book shows you that value investing is a dynamic, constantly-changing strategy which, when properly implemented, can provide significant, sustainable benefits. Although the investors profiled come from a diverse range of geographic regions and socio-economic, cultural, and educational backgrounds, they share similar personality traits, temperaments, and investment philosophes. Thoroughly revised and expanded, the book provides relevant updates on the professional and personal experiences of the investors since the first edition's publication. Complementing the original profiles are several new chapters featuring established value investors including Howard Marks, as well as rising personalities and fund managers such as Alvaro Guzman de Lazaro and Fernando Bernad Marrase. Author Ronald Chan, founder of Hong Kong-based investment management Chartwell Capital Limited, highlights how and why the value investors have consistently beaten the stock market through the years. This book: Covers multiple generations, geographies, and value investing styles Presents updated profiles of notable value investors such as Walter Schloss, Irving Kahn and Thomas Kahn, Jean-Marie Eveillard, Mark Mobius, and Teng Ngiek Lian Profiles international fund and asset managers from the North America, Europe and Asia Includes a chapter on the making of a successful value investor The Value Investors: Lessons from the World's Top Fund Managers, 2nd Edition is a must-read for investors looking to diversify their portfolios across different asset classes or geographic areas, finance professionals and students, and general readers with interest in value investing.

Pick stocks, create a portfolio, and build a nest egg Ever wonder how the pros pick the stocks they invest in? Well, most of them use some form of fundamental analysis, a popular method for assessing securities. In Fundamental Analysis For Dummies, you'll get a crash course in valuating publicly traded companies based on their financial statements, overall health, competitors, markets, and the overall economy. You'll also get easy-to-follow advice on how to protect your investments and diversify your portfolio so you can reduce risk without sacrificing returns. Inside... Learn fundamental analysis basics Discover why fundamental analysis works Get your hands on important data Perform a fundamental analysis Understand financial statements Construct financial ratios Read proxy statements Valuate and price stocks

This book examines four aspects of Malaysian consumers' financial vulnerabilities. First, it discusses the issue of over-indebtedness due to excessive reliance on consumer financing. Second, the book investigates why Malaysians are ill-prepared for their golden years in terms of retirement planning and savings. Third, it delves into the problem of financial fraud victimisation among Malaysian consumers. Fourth, the book analyses the reasons why Malaysians are underinsured despite the distinct benefits of life insurance. Drawing on secondary data from government agencies such as Bank Negara Malaysia, Employees' Provident Fund, Royal Malaysian Police and the Department of Statistics Malaysia, each chapter presents statistical trends reflecting the four financial vulnerabilities. In-depth analyses of the literature reveal three broad psychological domains (cognition, motivation, and disposition) and specific psychological factors (e.g. over-confidence, self-control, social norms, and financial literacy) that significantly influence consumers' financial decisions. The four financial vulnerabilities investigated in this book directly address the strategic outcomes of the Malaysian National Strategy for Financial Literacy 2019-2023 (MNSFL), a five-year plan to elevate the financial literacy of Malaysians. Finally, the book presents strategic recommendations that are believed to be useful guidelines for relevant policymakers to promote positive financial behaviours and rational attitudes among consumers. It will be a useful resource for policymakers and researchers interested in economic psychology and behavioural finance.

This is an introduction to an investment course that focuses on basic models used in the financial industry for investment and decision making. The course begins with an overview of the investment environment in developed markets, followed by a more in-depth analysis of key investment topics. These topics include modern portfolio theory, asset pricing models, term structure of interest rates, stock and bond portfolio management and evaluation of portfolio performance. Modern finance extensively uses the concept of arbitrage, or rather the lack of it in financial markets, and the course highlights such uses in different circumstances.The course takes a hands-on approach with the aid of a software package, Maple (TM), the details of which will be explained during the first lecture. Consequently, most lectures will be divided between a theoretical lecture and a lab - a practical implementation of the theoretical material of the lecture. The use of the Maple (TM) software in this course simulates, to a certain extent, a professional environment. It allows visualizations of different concepts, minimizes tedious algebraic calculations and the use of calculus while equipping students with intuitive understanding. This is facilitated by the symbolic power of Maple (TM) and its excellent graphic and animation capabilities.Institutional material is surveyed very concisely, so the reader gets an appreciation of the investment 'lay of the land'. It is enhanced by an eLearning unit, self-administrated quizzes as well as a stock market game, utilizing StockTrack (TM). StockTrack (TM) introduces students to trading in the real world by practicing different types of orders as well as introducing conventions common in the investment community.

This is an introduction to an investment course that focuses on basic models used in the financial industry for investment and decision making. The course begins with an overview of the investment environment in developed markets, followed by a more in-depth analysis of key investment topics. These topics include modern portfolio theory, asset pricing models, term structure of interest rates, stock and bond portfolio management and evaluation of portfolio performance. Modern finance extensively uses the concept of arbitrage, or rather the lack of it in financial markets, and the course highlights such uses in different circumstances.The course takes a hands-on approach with the aid of a software package, Maple (TM), the details of which will be explained during the first lecture. Consequently, most lectures will be divided between a theoretical lecture and a lab - a practical implementation of the theoretical material of the lecture. The use of the Maple (TM) software in this course simulates, to a certain extent, a professional environment. It allows visualizations of different concepts, minimizes tedious algebraic calculations and the use of calculus while equipping students with intuitive understanding. This is facilitated by the symbolic power of Maple (TM) and its excellent graphic and animation capabilities.Institutional material is surveyed very concisely, so the reader gets an appreciation of the investment 'lay of the land'. It is enhanced by an eLearning unit, self-administrated quizzes as well as a stock market game, utilizing StockTrack (TM). StockTrack (TM) introduces students to trading in the real world by practicing different types of orders as well as introducing conventions common in the investment community.

Computational finance is increasingly important in the financial industry, as a necessary instrument for applying theoretical models to real-world challenges. Indeed, many models used in practice involve complex mathematical problems, for which an exact or a closed-form solution is not available. Consequently, we need to rely on computational techniques and specific numerical algorithms. This book combines theoretical concepts with practical implementation. Furthermore, the numerical solution of models is exploited, both to enhance the understanding of some mathematical and statistical notions, and to acquire sound programming skills in MATLAB (R), which is useful for several other programming languages also. The material assumes the reader has a relatively limited knowledge of mathematics, probability, and statistics. Hence, the book contains a short description of the fundamental tools needed to address the two main fields of quantitative finance: portfolio selection and derivatives pricing. Both fields are developed here, with a particular emphasis on portfolio selection, where the author includes an overview of recent approaches. The book gradually takes the reader from a basic to medium level of expertise by using examples and exercises to simplify the understanding of complex models in finance, giving them the ability to place financial models in a computational setting. The book is ideal for courses focusing on quantitative finance, asset management, mathematical methods for economics and finance, investment banking, and corporate finance.