This book is based on the proceedings of The Electronic Call Auction: New Answers to Old Questions, a conference hosted by the Zicklin School of Business on May 16, 2000. The text includes the edited transcripts of the panel discussions and separate addresses by three major industry executives Douglas M. Atkin, formerly President and CEO, Instinet Corporation; Kenneth D. Pasternak, formerly President and CEO, Knight/Trimark Group, Inc., and William J. Brodsky, Chairman and CEO, Chicago Board Options Exchange. The electronic call auction is an important trading vehicle in many market centers around the world, but is not well understood in the US. What are call auctions? How should they be designed and integrated with continuous trading in a hybrid market structure? As call auctions play a more central role in the US markets, how will they affect market quality in terms of transparency, order flow consolidation, and price discovery? These and other critical questions were asked at the conference while the efficiency of the US markets was broadly assessed.

Over the past 25 years, applied econometrics has undergone tremen dous changes, with active developments in fields of research such as time series, labor econometrics, financial econometrics and simulation based methods. Time series analysis has been an active field of research since the seminal work by Box and Jenkins (1976), who introduced a gen eral framework in which time series can be analyzed. In the world of financial econometrics and the application of time series techniques, the ARCH model of Engle (1982) has shifted the focus from the modelling of the process in itself to the modelling of the volatility of the process. In less than 15 years, it has become one of the most successful fields of 1 applied econometric research with hundreds of published papers. As an alternative to the ARCH modelling of the volatility, Taylor (1986) intro duced the stochastic volatility model, whose features are quite similar to the ARCH specification but which involves an unobserved or latent component for the volatility. While being more difficult to estimate than usual GARCH models, stochastic volatility models have found numerous applications in the modelling of volatility and more particularly in the econometric part of option pricing formulas. Although modelling volatil ity is one of the best known examples of applied financial econometrics, other topics (factor models, present value relationships, term structure 2 models) were also successfully tackled."

This book introduces readers to a new approach to identifying stock market bubbles by using the illiquidity premium, a parameter derived by employing conic finance theory. Further, it shows how to develop the closed form formulas of the bid and ask prices of European options by using Black-Scholes and Kou models. By using the derived formulas and sliding windows technique, the book explains how to numerically calculate illiquidity premiums. The methods introduced here will enable readers interested in risk management, portfolio optimization and hedging in real-time to identify when asset prices are in a bubble state and when that bubble bursts. Moreover, the techniques discussed will allow them to accurately recognize periods of exuberance and panic, and to measure how different strategies work during these phases with respect to calmer periods of market behavior. A brief history of financial bubbles and an outlook on future developments serve to round out the coverage.

Most investors get their financial information from the media, but this is not always the best way to unlock the secrets that lead to real financial success. This book is a treasure trove of information on the inner workings of the finance establishment by a Bloomberg insider. What do the top CEOs know? What information do brokers keep from their clients? What are analysts on TV not telling you? This is a must-have for both professional and private investors.

Closed-End Investment Companies (CEICs) were the dominant form of investment companies in the United States during the early part of this century, but interest in them declined after the 1929 stock market crash. Since 1985, however, there has been a significant revival of interest in CEICs. A substantial amount of academic research has focused on the nature of closed-end funds, discounts and premiums, and on the share price behavior of these firms, which often results in the prices differing from the net asset value of the shares. This book is designed for the academic researcher interested in CEICs and the practitioner interested in using CEICs as an investment vehicle. The authors summarize the evolution of CEICs, present the factors that cause CEIC shares to trade at different levels from their net asset values, provide a complete survey of the academic literature on this topic, and summarize the current state of research on CEICs.

Social finance and social investment are not challenging concepts to grasp. They use commercial-style investment tools to create a social as well as a financial return. The application, however, is not always as straightforward. This book begins in the wider field of social finance but focuses primarily on social investment as a tool. The reader is helped to understand this from different angles: introducing social investment, discussing social investment and taking a "deep-dive" into it to bring it to life. This unique book takes the reader on a journey from first principles to detailed practical application. This book examines the policy context and asks why social investment has only recently become so popular, when in reality this is a very old concept. This is linked to the agenda of making charities more "business-like", set against the changing face of investment, as charities can no longer rely on donations and grants as guaranteed income. The work they do is more important than ever and social investment, used with care, offers a new opportunity that is further explored in this text. Mark Salway, Paul Palmer, Peter Grant and Jim Clifford will help readers understand how a small amount of borrowing, or a different business model focused away from grants and donations, could be transformational for the non-profit sector.

This book develops key messages for city stakeholders: how can cities and properties adapt to this crisis and how can public and private actors help to make cities more resilient in the long run. The book is addressed to actors from the real estate industry and the city, to project developers, architects, planners, engineers, financiers, investors and asset managers - and to everyone who lives and works in cities.

Candlestick charts are often used in speculative markets to describe and forecast asset price movements. This book is the first of its kind to investigate candlestick charts and their statistical properties. It provides an empirical evaluation of candlestick forecasting. The book proposes a novel technique to obtain the statistical properties of candlestick charts. The technique, which is known as the range decomposition technique, shows how security price is approximately logged into two ranges, i.e. technical range and Parkinson range. Through decomposition-based modeling techniques and empirical datasets, the book investigates the power of, and establishes the statistical foundation of, candlestick forecasting.

An in-depth look at the best ways to navigate the post-reform world of derivatives and futures

The derivatives market is one of the largest, and most important financial markets in the world. It's also one of the least understood. Today we are witnessing the unprecedented reform and reshaping of this market, and along with these events, the entire life cycle of a derivatives transaction has been affected. Accordingly, nearly all market participants in the modern economy need to view the handling of risk by derivatives in a very different way.

Many aspects of financial services reform are based on a belief that derivatives caused the Great Recession of 2008. While the difficulties we now face cannot be blamed solely on derivatives, the need to understand this market, and the financial products that trade within it, has never been greater. "The Post-Reform Guide to Derivatives and Futures" provides straightforward descriptions of these important investment products, the market in which they trade, and the law that now, after July 16, 2011, governs their use in America and creates challenges for investors throughout the world. Author Gordon Peery is an attorney who works exclusively in the derivatives markets and specializes in derivatives and futures reform and market structure. Since representing clients in Congressional hearings involving Enron Corp., he has developed extensive experience in this field. With this guide, he reveals how derivatives law, and market practice throughout the world, began to change in historic ways beginning in 2011, and what you must do to keep up with these changes.Explains what derivatives and futures are, who trades them, and what must be done to manage risk in the post reform worldAccurately reflects the futures and derivatives markets as they exist today and how they will be transformed by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection ActHighlights the risks and common disputes regarding derivatives and futures, and offers recommendations for best practices in light of the evolving law governing derivatives

The financial crisis has changed the rules of Wall Street, especially when it comes to derivatives and futures. "The Post-Reform Guide to Derivatives and Futures" will help you navigate this evolving field and put you in a better position to make the most informed decisions within it.

This book tells the story of how the convergence between corporate sustainability and sustainable investing is now becoming a major force driving systemic market changes. The idea and practice of corporate sustainability is no longer a niche movement. Investors are increasingly paying attention to sustainability factors in their analysis and decision-making, thus reinforcing market transformation. In this book, high-level practitioners and academic thought leaders, including contributions from John Ruggie, Fiona Reynolds, Johan Rockstroem, and Paul Polman, explain the forces behind these developments. The contributors highlight (a) that systemic market change is influenced by various contextual factors that impact how sustainable investing is perceived and practiced; (b) that the integration of ESG factors in investment decisions is impacting markets on a large scale and hence changes practices of major market players (e.g. pension funds); and (c) that technology and the increasing datafication of sustainability act as further accelerators of such change. The book goes beyond standard economic theory approaches to sustainable investing and emphasizes that capitalism founded on more real-world (complex) economics and cooperation can strengthen ESG integration. Aimed at both investment professionals and academics, this book gives the reader access to more practitioner-relevant information and it also discusses implementation issues. The reader will gain insights into how "mainstream" financial actors relate to sustainable investing.

'Written in a clear and straightforward style, and well grounded in succinct and pertinent analysis...It will prove a boon to students and practitioners alike as moves proceed towards European integration.' - British Book News;This volume identifies and analyses the extent to which the countries of Central and Eastern Europe are likely to attract inward foreign direct investment (FDI) to the turn of the century. Although these countries have been growing recipients of FDI, Western multinationals remain cautious and are slow to commit large investment sums. The book covers the contextual and thematic aspects of FDI as well as empirical country studies (including the Commonwealth of Independent States, Hungary, Poland and Slovenia) which address the legal environment for FDI, its magnitude and motives and industrial breakdown. The final section discusses the potential for closer economic and political integration in Europe.

A process-driven approach to investment management that lets you achieve the same high gains as the most successful portfolio managers, but at half the cost What do you pay for when you hire a portfolio manager? Is it his or her unique experience and expertise, a set of specialized analytical skills possessed by only a few? The truth, according to industry insider Jacques Lussier, is that, despite their often grandiose claims, most successful investment managers, themselves, can't properly explain their successes. In this book Lussier argues convincingly that most of the gains achieved by professional portfolio managers can be accounted for not by special knowledge or arcane analytical methodologies, but proper portfolio management processes whether they are aware of this or not. More importantly, Lussier lays out a formal process-oriented approach proven to consistently garner most of the excess gains generated by traditional analysis-intensive approaches, but at a fraction of the cost since it could be fully implemented internally. * Profit from more than a half-century's theoretical and empirical literature, as well as the author's own experiences as a top investment strategist * Learn an approach, combining several formal management processes, that simplifies portfolio management and makes its underlying qualities more transparent, while lowering costs significantly * Discover proven methods for exploiting the inefficiencies of traditional benchmarks, as well as the behavioral biases of investors and corporate management, for consistently high returns * Learn to use highly-efficient portfolio management and rebalancing methodologies and an approach to diversification that yields returns far greater than traditional investment programs

This study is an independent scholarly analysis of the economics of the grain futures contracts of the Chicago Board of Trade. The study was made possible by a research grant to the MidAmerica Institute from the Chicago Board of Trade, and we gratefully acknowledge this financial support, as well as the information and vast body of experience made available to us by the Division of Economic Analysis and members of the Exchange. Several other organizations also provided invaluable help from the inception of this study through the full process, either in the form of information, or through discussion: the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Grain and Feed Association, the American Soybean Association, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, the House Committee on Agriculture, the General Accounting Office, and the Center for the Study of Futures and Options Markets at Virginia Polytechnic and State University. We express our thanks. The primary authors wish to extend a special word of apprecia tion to Michael Brennan, Merton Miller, Richard Roll, Hans Stoll and Lester Telser, who served as members of the Resource Panel for the study. While key strengths of the study reflect their input, ultimate responsibility for the analysis rests with the primary authors."

This book provides insights into the hidden role of intuitive expertise in financial decision-making. The authors show and discuss how expertise combined with intuitive judgments positively affect decision-making outcomes. The book builds on the latest academic studies in this emergent field. In combination with the academic perspective, the authors provide a field study that they conducted in the context of mergers and acquisitions (M&As), a common and critical strategic investment for companies. The interviews were carried out with experts and decision-makers in large and successful international companies (i.e., M&A experts, CEOs, CFOs, and board members). The book provides a solid theoretical and empirically based grounding of the topic. In addition, it offers suggestions to practitioners on how they can develop and nurture intuitive expertise in strategic investment decision-making. The report of the field study provides examples and quotes from interviews to visualize findings, thus helping practitioners gain understanding and insights from the text. The authors also discuss the downsides of intuitive expertise, such as biases and flawed decision-making. For scholars, students, and professionals, the book offers a concise and up-to-date summary of an emergent stream of research, exploring how cognition and judgment affect financial decision-making.

There is a foundational crisis in financial theory and professional investment practice: There is little, if any, credible evidence that active investment strategies and traditional institutional quantitative technologies are able to provide superior risk-adjusted, cost-adjusted return over investment relevant horizons. Economic and financial theory has been in error for more than fifty years and is the fundamental cause of the persistent ineffectiveness of professional asset management. Contemporary sociological and economic theory, agent-based modeling, and an appreciation of the social context for preference theory provides a rational and intuitive framework for understanding financial markets and economic behavior. The author narrates his long-term experience in the use and limitations of traditional tools of quantitative asset management as an institutional asset manager in practice and as a quantitative analyst and strategist on Wall Street. Monte Carlo simulation methods, modern statistical tools, and U.S. patented innovations are introduced to redefine portfolio optimality and procedures for enhanced professional asset management. A new social context for expected utility theory leads to a novel understanding of modern equity markets as a financial intermediary for purchasing power constant time-shift investing uniquely appropriate for meeting investor long-term investment objectives. This book addresses the limitations and indicated resolutions for more useful financial theory and more reliable asset management technology. In the process, it traces the major historical developments of theory and institutional asset management practice and their limitations over the course of the 20th century to the present, including Markowitz and the birth of modern finance, CAPM theory and emergence of institutional quantitative asset management, CAPM and VM theory limitations and ineffective iconic tools and strategies, and innovations in statistical methodologies and financial market theory.

Part of a series which focuses on advances in futures and options research, this volume discusses a variety of topics in the field.

The book is divided into three sections plus detailed appendices and glossary and accompanying CD-ROM. It provides a description of the investment management process providing a context for quantitative techniques,addresses different quantitative techniques as applied to investment management, and brings together issues such as currency management, performance measurement and appraisal and performance analysis.

Trading today's markets―including stocks, futures, or Forex―can be a challenging and difficult endeavor. But it is possible to achieve consistent success in this field, if you're prepared to learn a complete trading plan from entry to exit.

In High Probability Trading Strategies, author and well-known trading educator Robert Miner skillfully outlines every aspect of a practical trading plan―from entry to exit―that he has developed over the course of his distinguished twenty-plus-year career. The result is a complete approach to trading that will allow you to trade confidently in a variety of markets and time frames.

With this book as your guide, you'll quickly learn how to recognize high-probability trading opportunities, pinpoint exact entry and stop prices, and manage a trade until it's completely closed out. You'll discover how the four key factors of dual-time-frame-momentum, pattern, price, and time can guide you down the path to trading profits. As you become familiar with the proven strategies and techniques taught in High Probability Trading Strategies, you'll also come to understand the type of market information you can use to make specific trade decisions and how to execute those decisions from start to finish.

Miner teaches in a practical, step-by-step manner until a complete trading plan is developed. While the ideas found here are essential to trading success, the best way to learn is by example. That's why Miner has devoted an entire chapter―called "Real Traders, Real Time"―to trade examples submitted by his past students. In it, you'll see how they apply the strategies taught throughout the book to markets around the world.

A companion website completes this compre-hensive learning package. It's not a word-for-word review of the material in the book, but rather an additional tool to illustrate more examples. With it, you'll learn how to put high-probability trading strategies into practice, day by day and bar by bar, for many different markets and time frames.

Written with the serious trader in mind, High Probability Trading Strategies details a practical approach to analyzing market behavior, identify-ing profitable trade setups, and executing and managing trades―from entry to exit―that will allow you to both preserve and grow your capital. If you're looking to make the most of your time in today's markets, look no further than High Probability Trading Strategies.

The derivatives market has been the fastest growing area of financial activity in the past few years. The pace of product development is fast, with a myriad of new hybrids being developed every year. This best-selling text is ordered in dictionary format, taking each financial instrument, market or related concept and giving an analysis together with diagrams where applicable. It also includes a comprehensive listing of contracts available on the major exchanges. Crucially, tax and accounting guidelines are included, and all appropriate legal documentation, such as the ISDA master agreement on swaps is reproduced in full.