The rapid advancement in encryption and network computing gave birth to new tools and products that have influenced the local and global economy alike. One recent and notable example is the emergence of virtual currencies, also known as cryptocurrencies or digital currencies. Virtual currencies, such as Bitcoin, introduced a fundamental transformation that affected the way goods, services, and assets are exchanged. Virtual currencies are experiencing an increasing popularity in the financial markets and in portfolio management as can be classified as financial asset or commodities on a scale from pure medium of exchange advantages to pure store of value advantages. As a result of its distributed ledgers based on blockchain, cryptocurrencies offer some unique advantages to the economy, investors, and consumers, but also pose considerable risks to users and challenges for regulators when fitting the new technology into the old legal framework. Bitcoin for example may be useful in risk management and ideal for risk-averse investors in anticipation of negative shocks to the market. The core objective of this proposed book is to provide a comprehensive discussion on the important issues related to cryptocurrencies ranging from pricing, financial, legal to technological aspects.

Shareholder engagement with publicly listed companies is often seen as a key means to monitor corporate performance and behavior. In this book, the authors examine the corporate governance roles of key institutional investors in UK corporate equity, including pension funds, insurance companies, collective investment funds, hedge and private equity funds and sovereign wealth funds. The authors argue that institutions' corporate governance roles are an instrument ultimately shaped by private interests and market forces, as well as law and regulatory obligations, and that policy-makers should not readily make assumptions regarding their effectiveness, or their alignment with public interest or social good. They critically discuss the possibilities and limitations of shareholder stewardship i.e. the UK Stewardship Code and the EU Shareholder Rights Directive 2017 as well as explore various reforms of the UK pension fund structures, including the Local Government Pension Funds reform, the move from defined benefit to defined contribution schemes and implications for funds' asset allocation, investment management and corporate governance roles. This book will be of interest to academics in corporate law and governance as well as those in the corporate governance industry, such as institutions, trade associations, proxy advisors and other corporate governance service providers. Think tanks and research institutes tied to institutional investment, corporate governance, law and business may also be a key audience.

Sovereign Investment: Concerns and Policy Reactions provides the first major holistic examination and interdisciplinary analysis of sovereign wealth funds. Sovereign wealth funds currently hold three trillion dollars' worth of investments, almost twice the amount in all the hedge funds worldwide, and are predicted to hold nine trillion more by 2015.
This relatively new and rapidly expanding phenomenon remains relatively unregulated, but the International Monetary Fund and the G7 aim to establish temporary and voluntary rules to introduce transparency and uniformity until more permanent regulatory structures are instituted. What permanent rules and procedures should govern sovereign wealth funds? What bodies should enforce them? Do the current provisional rules answer the national security concerns of host countries? Editors Karl P. Sauvant, Lisa Sachs, and Wouter P.F. Schmit Jongbloed address these questions in a collection of essays by leading authorities from the IMF, academic institutions, law firms, multi-national corporations, and think tanks. Together, these authors analyze how sovereign wealth funds have helped to limit the effects of the current global economic crisis, and what rules can govern their operation in the future.

"This book is easily one of the best and most readable investment primers I've come across during my 45 years in the business. It's a great way to learn about basic investment concepts and how they can be applied to almost anyone's situation. - William B. Frels, CFA Chairman and CEO, Mairs and Power "Dean Junkans has been a key thought leader for us on investment strategy and asset allocation for many years. Now everyone can benefit from his well thought out views on investing. The Anatomy of Investing is a terrific resource for anyone interested in learning more about the foundation of successful investing. Ignore the promises made by those who advocate the home run trades to riches approach. This book will equip the reader with the understanding and right tools to build a sound and diversified investment decision making approach which has been the hallmark of the industry's best money managers." - Jay Welker, Executive VP and Head of the Wealth Management Group Wells Fargo "Using the anatomy analogy, Junkans is able to clearly explain serious investment truths in a creative and entertaining way to the benefit of novices and pros. This is excellent teaching from a real leader in the investment profession." - Kevin D. Freeman, CFA, CEO Freeman Global Investment Counsel co-author of Investing in Separate Accounts "The Anatomy of Investing is a full-bodied tour of the ins and outs of planning for one's financial future and avoiding the vast number of pitfalls that face individual investors every day. Uncluttered by finance-speak and thoughtfully organized, Dean brings to his subject a wealth of experience and practical advice. From beginning to end, it's clear that he cares deeply about both his subject and the everyday investors he's trying to help." - Tony Carideo, CFA, President, The Carideo Group, Inc. Publisher's website: http://sbpra.com/DeanAJunkans

This book teaches the basics of fixed-income securities in a way that, unlike competitive texts, requires a minimum of prerequisites. While other books focus heavily on institutional details of the bond market, all of which could easily be learned "on the job," Jarrow is more concerned with presenting a coherent theoretical framework for understanding all basic models. His unified approach-the Heath Jarrow Morton model-under which all other models are presented as special cases, enhances understanding while avoiding repetition. The author's pricing model is widely used in today's securities industry. In this revised edition, the author has added new chapters to enrich coverage, and has modified the order of chapters slightly to smooth the progression of material from simple to complex. Online material will be available with the text, replacing the diskette included in the first edition; lecture notes for instructors will be available on PowerPoint slides. MathWorks has provided a free online, limited version of the MATLAB's financial derivatives toolbox, with which users of the book can apply the theory presented in each chapter.

The First Book from n+1--an Essential Chronicle of Our Financial Crisis

HFM: Where are you going to buy protection on the U.S. government's credit? I mean, if the U.S. defaults, what bank is going to be able to make good on that contract? Who are you going to buy that contract from, the Martians?

n+1: When does this begin to feel like less of a cyclical thing, like the weather, and more of a permanent, end-of-the-world kind of thing?

HFM: When you see me selling apples out on the street, that's when you should go stock up on guns and ammunition.