Bloomberg Press
CDS delivery option; better pricing of credit default swaps.
Boberski (executive director, Prime Services, USB Investment Bank) explains how problems in one market can disrupt an entire financial system. From the context of today's financial crisis, the author identifies the linkages between markets that cause contagion. He delves into a number of relevant topics: Treasury futures mechanics, the binomial tree, how to develop derivatives contracts, the 2007 ABx meltdown, and the collapse of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, among others. He also details what happens in the credit default swap market when a bankruptcy occurs and provides down-to-earth advice for both traders and investors in a variety of areas, including the significance of the delivery option, how to navigate a squeeze, which note is cheapest to deliver, and a fair-value means for pricing the delivery option. The result is a clearly-written book that provides an understanding of a complex topic. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Deena Katz's complete guide to practice management; tips, tools, and templates for the financial adviser.
Katz, a noted financial adviser and expert on practice-management issues, has combined and revised two of her previous books to create this comprehensive guide for professionals who want to run a financial planning practice. The author provides step-by-step instructions on how to design and market the business, transition existing practices into a new enterprise, hire a qualified and motivated staff and attract and maintain clients. This book contains forms, worksheets and templates that have been used successfully by leading experts in the field. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
The Economist book of obituaries.
The Economist is highly regarded for a number of reasons: journalistic quality, sterling writing, and balanced if somewhat cheeky news coverage. But strangely enough one of the bright spots is the magazine's unique and absorbing obituaries. Colquhoun, a former obituary column editor for the magazine, and Wroe, the current column editor, offer the obituaries of 199 people, from famous to scandalous to unknown, and a parrot. A sampling of entries includes: Syd Barrett, Alistair Cooke, Lady Diana, Gerald Ford, Thor Heyerdahl, Norman Mailer, Rosa Parks, and Doctor Spock. These are not your daily newspaper's tired, formulaic obituaries. They are consistently well-crafted and penetrating vignettes, or mini-biographies. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
The heretics of finance; conversations with leading practitioners of technical analysis.
Lo (finance, MIT) has teamed with Hasanhodzic, a research scientist for an investment strategy firm, to interview successful market professionals on the benefits of technical analysis and how this non-standardized method has been validated in recent years. Written for financial professionals and investors, this volume explores the lives of technical analysts and shows how and why they gravitated toward techniques that are often labeled as a "black art." The authors then collect analysts' thoughts on this method's lack of validation among investment professionals, how computer software has influenced these practices and whether or not technical analysis can be applied to other disciplines with similar results. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
International libel and privacy handbook; a global reference for journalists, publishers, webmasters, and lawyers, 2d ed.
Glasser (global media counsel, Bloomberg News) and almost 30 contributors provide a nation-by-nation discussion of international media law. The second edition includes new chapters on growing media markets such as Singapore, the Middle East, and Malaysia. The book provides information and advice for anyone involved in media — from Webmasters to journalists and editors — on the legal risks publishers should be aware of prior to publication, how to avoid libel and privacy conflicts, and what defenses there are in the event a claim is filed. It covers basic guidelines in 23 nations, as well as essays on privacy and book publishing. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
Option spread strategies; trading up, down, and sideways markets.
A recognized pioneer and leader in the options industry, Saliba is the founder of International Trading Institute, Ltd., (ITI), which has helped train thousands of leaders worldwide. With ITI instructor, Joseph Corona, and ITI board member, Karen E. Johnson, he presents a basic approach to teaching the intricacies of advanced option strategies so individual investors and traders can successfully put them to use in their own portfolios. Saliba discusses which strategy to employ, the nuances of each, how to manage the position, when to exit, and how to use spread strategies that offer limited or unlimited risk. The text includes exercises, chapter quizzes, and a final exam — with answer keys — to reinforce the concepts presented in the book. (Annotation ©2009 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
