Book Description
Investing is all about common sense. Owning a diversified portfolio of stocks and holding it for the long term is a winner’s game. Trying to beat the stock market is theoretically a zero-sum game (for every winner, there must be a loser), but after the substantial costs of investing are deducted, it becomes a loser’s game. Common sense tells us—and history confirms—that the simplest and most efficient investment strategy is to buy and hold all of the nation’s publicly held businesses at very low cost. The classic index fund that owns this market portfolio is the only investment that guarantees you with your fair share of stock market returns.
To learn how to make index investing work for you, there’s no better mentor than legendary mutual fund industry veteran John C. Bogle. Over the course of his long career, Bogle—founder of the Vanguard Group and creator of the world’s first index mutual fund—has relied primarily on index investing to help Vanguard’s clients build substantial wealth. Now, with The Little Book of Common Sense Investing, he wants to help you do the same.
Filled with in-depth insights and practical advice, The Little Book of Common Sense Investing will show you how to incorporate this proven investment strategy into your portfolio. It will also change the very way you think about investing. Successful investing is not easy. (It requires discipline and patience.) But it is simple. For it’s all about common sense.
With The Little Book of Common Sense Investing as your guide, you’ll discover how to make investing a winner’s game:
- Why business reality—dividend yields and earnings growth—is more important than market expectations
- How to overcome the powerful impact of investment costs, taxes, and inflation
- How the magic of compounding returns is overwhelmed by the tyranny of compounding costs
- What expert investors and brilliant academics—from Warren Buffett and Benjamin Graham to Paul Samuelson and Burton Malkiel—have to say about index investing
- And much more
You’ll also find warnings about investment fads and fashions, including the recent stampede into exchange traded funds and the rise of indexing gimmickry. The real formula for investment success is to own the entire market, while significantly minimizing the costs of financial intermediation. That’s what index investing is all about. And that’s what this book is all about.
JOHN C. BOGLE is founder of the Vanguard Group, Inc., and President of its Bogle Financial Markets Research Center. He created Vanguard in 1974 and served as chairman and chief executive officer until 1996 and senior chairman until 2000. In 1999, Fortune magazine named Mr. Bogle as one of the four "Investment Giants" of the twentieth century; in 2004, Time named him one of the world’s 100 most powerful and influential people, and Institutional Investor presented him with its Lifetime Achievement Award.
Customer Reviews:
Brilliant by a financial guru.......2007-10-16
This is the most important book on retirement. if you don't buy anything else, get this one!
In the Peter Lynch mode of thinking
Beat the pros with common sense!
Outstanding Investment Book.......2007-10-15
This is the best investment book I've ever read. John Bogle's common sense approach to investing is easy to follow and very profitable. I wish I had this knowledge 25 years ago! Highly recommended!
Celebrating the 30th anniversary!.......2007-10-14
John Bogle is an investing guru.
But this entire book is him pitching his prized mutual fund that he created 30 years ago:
The Vanguard Standard and Poor's 500 Index Mutual Fund.
That's it!
So instead of reading the 214 pages, you can just read the following sentence:
"Buy the Vanguard S&P 500 Index Mutual Fund"
I already have, directly through Vanguard, so it was not new information.
Valuable Investment Advice.......2007-10-02
I have been "investing" for years without a sustainable strategy. The information provided in this book is educational, reassuring and eye-opening. Mr. Bogle showed that Investing need not be complicated and provided many examples and facts to support his assertions. If you need good, sound proven financial advice from an industry giant, this is invaluable and a must-read book. I bought 5 copies (one is audio CD) and gave them to my friends and sister.
An aptly titled book.......2007-08-14
As a professional portfolio manager since the 1960's [now retired] I most highly recommend this book. I have purchased copies for my adult children, as well as for some for-profit and non-profit boards on which I serve. I am telling all that this easy, one-day read has the potential to be a financial life-enhancing event, if they agree with the basic premise. And that there is no reason not to agree with the premise. I very much like that Bogle includes supporting data at the end of every section. A true five-star book.
Book Description
The world’s #1 fixed income book, now with 21 all-new chapters
The Handbook of Fixed Income Securities occupies the top spot as the most authoritative, widely read reference in the global fixed income marketplace. First published in 1983, this comprehensive survey of current knowledge features contributions from leading academics and practitioners and has carved out a niche that cannot and will not be equaled by any other single sourcebook.
Now, the thoroughly revised and updated seventh edition gives finance professionals the facts and formulas they need to compete in today’s transformed marketplace. It places increased emphasis on applications, electronic trading, and global portfolio management, and features new chapters on topics including:
- Eurobonds
- Emerging market debt
- Credit risk modeling
- Synthetics
- CDOs
- Transition management
- And many more
Customer Reviews:
Very useful reference.......2007-08-31
Good reference for bond math and a great thing to have on any debt capital markets desk.. I use it very frequently.. its a classic ..
So far so good.......2007-08-03
Great purchase. The authors do a superb job of describing topics in basic terms then escalate to the nitty gritty number crunching behind the concepts. I recommend for anyone needing a complete guide to FI securities.
good overall reference.......2007-04-19
very good as a reference and general overview; if you want more detail and in-depth analysis you should look for something else but there's lots of specific lieterature out there so this still makes a good starting point
the default reference.......2007-01-06
this is the de facto desk reference for fi securities. it is thorough and well presented. if you are working with fi, you probably have it, if not, you should. also highly recommend the fixed income mathematics text as well.
nice overview of a wide range of topics.......2006-04-16
i give 4.5 stars.
many reviewers comment that this book lacks depth, but hey, it just tries to give a general overview on a variety of fixed income securities, that's what it is, and this book does reasonably well on this purpose. it never means to contain everything on every fixed income securities.
the only thing i am concerned is that the page numbers listed on the index sometimes do not match.
Book Description
The bestselling author of Pioneering Portfolio Management, the definitive template for institutional fund management, returns with a book that shows individual investors how to manage their financial assets.
In Unconventional Success, investment legend David F. Swensen offers incontrovertible evidence that the for-profit mutual-fund industry consistently fails the average investor. From excessive management fees to the frequent "churning" of portfolios, the relentless pursuit of profits by mutual-fund management companies harms individual clients. Perhaps most destructive of all are the hidden schemes that limit investor choice and reduce returns, including "pay-to-play" product-placement fees, stale-price trading scams, soft-dollar kickbacks, and 12b-1 distribution charges.
Even if investors manage to emerge unscathed from an encounter with the profit-seeking mutual-fund industry, individuals face the likelihood of self-inflicted pain. The common practice of selling losers and buying winners (and doing both too often) damages portfolio returns and increases tax liabilities, delivering a one-two punch to investor aspirations.
In short: Nearly insurmountable hurdles confront ordinary investors.
Swensen's solution? A contrarian investment alternative that promotes well-diversified, equity-oriented, "market-mimicking" portfolios that reward investors who exhibit the courage to stay the course. Swensen suggests implementing his nonconformist proposal with investor-friendly, not-for-profit investment companies such as Vanguard and TIAA-CREF. By avoiding actively managed funds and employing client-oriented mutual-fund managers, investors create the preconditions for investment success.
Bottom line? Unconventional Success provides the guidance and financial know-how for improving the personal investor's financial future.
Customer Reviews:
Investment to avoid-buying this book.......2007-09-02
While I have a lot of respect for Swensen's practical success with the endowment, his book has some great advice and some really poor advice. Swensen is to be commended for steering the investments from the '85 asset allocation to where it is today. It was visionary, courageous, very rewarding.
The author does a great job of advising investors to reduce exposure to US large cap equities, and the rationale behind it. He also makes a logical case for increasing exposure to various international equity and fixed income markets.
Where he goes astray, in my opinion, is by suggesting that investors look to index funds as a panacea for investing. While he and his team at Yale have found exceptional managers who bring value (above index returns, on a net of fee basis), he assumes that individual investors cannot. While few investors have the negotiating skill set he has (due to his Assets Under Management), individual investors who spend a few hours a month can find money managers via mutual funds that consistently outperform their peers and benchmarks.
Let me sum up his book for you: own a LOT more baskets to put your eggs in, than just the standard 5-6 you may have in your 401k, and invest in low cost index funds.
My suggestion: take the first bit of advice, and instead of low-cost index funds, find managers who consistently beat the indexes, and rebalance annually.
Oh, and borrow the book from the library instead of padding his wallet.
Its clear Mr. Swensen has never held the hand of an Individual Investor.......2007-07-21
I loved David Swensen's white paper about institutional portfolio construction; I liked his book on Pioneering Portfolio Management: An Unconventional Approach to Institutional Investment- with this book he stepped outside his area of expertise.
Among the rare few Investing Classics..........2007-04-26
This is a remarkably good book. Almost any investor will benefit from reading this book. Swensen distills a lot of wisdom into this volume touching on all aspects of Portfolio Policy. It would be rare for even very advanced investors to not gain a new insight or two from reading this book.
Having said that, I have a couple of issues with this book.
- Swensen's writing style is very labored. It was hard to read more than a few pages at a time. Not because the material was difficult, but because of his writing style.
- I am frankly puzzled by Swensen's glowing recommendation of Southeastern Asset Management (a Mutual Fund company that owns Longleaf Partners Funds). While Longleaf is a good fund outfit, I don't see how Longleaf is that much different from other, better Value style Mutual Fund companies out there. I don't see how Longleaf is any different from Dodge and Cox or Oakmark. I just don't see Longleaf being that special, so I am puzzled at Swensen's singling them out as exemplary. As I write this, Longleaf has one of the most expensive International Equity funds out there - with an Expense Ratio of 1.61%, compare that with an International Index Fund that you can buy at Vanguard for 25 basis points ! Charging almost 1.5%/year more in expenses will require some exceptional Active Management from Longleaf to generate returns, the odds are against investors in the active fund there.
A Standout Book!.......2007-03-29
This is an indispensable investment book in my opinion. Swensen clearly has an original and unique perspective on investing. There are plenty of books out there in favor of passive management, low costs, and asset-class investing. Here are some of the ideas and concepts he presents in this book that make him stand out from the crowd:
1. He believes treasuries are practically the only bonds worth considering for the individual investor. The chapter in which he discusses it is very interesting, and his arguments are compelling.
2. He is not a devout believer of efficient markets, and acknowledges that superior active performance can be attributed to skill. He explains that there are two games being played: short-term and long-term active management. Unfortunately, since most managers are pressured to have good annual, quarterly, or even monthly returns, they must think short-term, and are unable to invest for the longterm. The longterm game, consisting of far fewer players, is a completely different playing field.
3. He focuses an extraordinary amount of time on the profit-seeking behavior of mutual fund companies, and why they are detrimental to investors. Alignment of interests between shareholders and managers is a major theme in his book.
He suggests investors to construct a portfolio of passive, capitalization-weighted index funds (or ETF's), combined with treasuries and TIPS. Unlike Bogle and other pro-indexing gurus, Swensen seems to focus more on avoiding shareholder-unfriendliness than he is on the other benefits of index funds (style-purity, low costs, etc.). He also ignores Fama-French size and value factor loading, which is fine. There are other great books on portfolio design (William Bernstein is pretty much all you need to read on that subject).
My only complaint about the book is that he seems to enjoy reemphasizing points. Swensen will summarize his thoughts throughout the chapter, and one more time at the end of each chapter, and then a whole final chapter devoted to more summarizing. I think this book could have been 2/3rds the length with essentially the same content. However, that is a minor complaint, compared to the vast amount of knowledge I gained from reading the book. Highly recommended!
Interesting book, but not quite what I expected/wanted.......2007-03-15
Based on the title, the author's background, and the little I'd read about the book, I expected this to be mainly a 'how to' manual - how to best manage one's funds for maximum returns.
While there was some of that in the book, in fact the focus seemed more on castigating much of the financial industry for their misdeeds and greed. If you've read John Bogle's writings, you've seen some of this before, but Unconventional Success is perhaps even a bit more detailed and clear on the misalignment of interests between investors and financial products providers, and how that leads to the investors being taken for a ride in various ways.
So, there's a lot of "don't do this, don't buy that product"-type information in the book. As far as what he DOES recommend, he's relatively brief, and, IMO, doesn't go into enough detail. He advocates splitting your money among 6 major asset classes, and staying with low cost funds, mainly those offered by non-profit companies (Vanguard and TIAA-CREF). But there's not enough support for his statements that asset class X should be 15% of your portfolio and asset class Y should be some other percentage. He briefly discusses historical returns for asset classes and touches on some reasons why returns may differ going forward, but again, there's not much detail there.
Yale's endowment (which Swensen manages, very well) is known for unconventional investments (thus, perhaps, the book's title). But if you want to read about timber or other natural resources, or see much detail on why Yale's endowment is so successful, you won't find it here. Admittedly, many of the options available to Yale are not available to the common investor, or if they are, are so watered down with extra fees as to be unsuitable. Still, I was little disappointed about the lack of reference to his own investment strategies at Yale, which are the reason most of us have heard of him and the reason I bought the book.
One thing that was interesting to me was his analysis of why some indexes aren't well suited for use as a mutual fund benchmark. I have a significant slice of my portfolio in a fund that uses the Russell 2000 value index as a benchmark, and the Russell indexes are called out for criticism in the book. I will keep the criticisms in mind in planning future allocations/re-allocations.
Overall, it was an interesting read - I blew through it in one night. But it was not quite what I expected...
Book Description
Inside the House of Money lifts the veil on the typically opaque world of hedge funds, offering a rare glimpse at how today's highest paid money managers approach their craft. Author Steven Drobny demystifies how these star traders make billions for well-heeled investors, revealing their theories, strategies and approaches to markets. Drobny, cofounder of Drobny Global Advisors, an international macroeconomic research and advisory firm, has tapped into his network and beyond in order assemble this collection of thirteen interviews with the industry's best minds. Along the way, you'll get an inside look at firsthand trading experiences through some of the major world financial crises of the last few decades. Whether Russian bonds, Pakistani stocks, Southeast Asian currencies or stakes in African brewing companies, no market or instrument is out of bounds for these elite global macro hedge fund managers. Highly accessible and filled with in-depth expert opinion, Inside the House of Money is a must-read for financial professionals and anyone else interested in understanding the complexities at stake in world financial markets.
"The ruminations of supposedly hush-hush hedge fund operators are richly illuminating." --New York Times
Customer Reviews:
Insightful visit to the world of the global macro investor........2007-09-28
This fascinating book will take you into the world of current global macro investing. Steven Drobny interviews 13 successful traders, analysts and fund managers who participate in global macro investing in many different ways. Although some of the discussions are technical (but never mathematical), they are readable and easy to understand. Drobny also provides some information on the origins and early years of global macroeconomic investing, from John Keynes to George Soros. He talks to his interviewees about their backgrounds and asks their investment advice. His question-and-answer approach keeps things moving. We enjoyed Drobny's descriptions of the people he interviewed, though the interview-style format leads to somewhat choppy data. This book is surprisingly fun for what could have become a very dense, technical tome in less skilled hands.
Find out what the experts think about investing in the global marketplace .......2007-09-17
This is a terrific book about how 13 investors use global macroeconomics in their work. The shorthand term is global macro. Since the field is pretty much undefined and can include investments of any time anywhere in the world, it is hard to define what exactly it is. In fact, the book isn't about Steven Drobny telling you about what he thinks it is. Instead, the chapters are question and answers with each of these practitioners of this technique.
The first few chapters offer some context and history of global macro investing. The earliest people doing it were probably John Maynard Keynes and Alfred Winlow Jones. Drobny takes us through the key macroeconomic crises of the past several decades and offers a few thoughts about the future.
The people he interviews are Jim Leitner of Falcon Management, Siva-Jothy of SemperMacro, the author's partner, but no relation - Andres Droby, Dr. John Proter of Barclays Capital, Dr. Sushil Wadhwani of Wadhwani Asset Management, Peter Thiel of Clarium Capital, Yra Harris of Praxis Trading, Jim Rogers, Dwight Anderson of Ospraie Management, Scott Bessent Capital, Mark Dimitrijevic of Everest Capital, Rob Standing of London Diversified Fund Management, and an anonymous currency specialist.
All of these folks look for people who are motivated, and have a passion and talent for math, economics, history, and have a demonstrated aptitude for training. You will notice that many have doctorates, but not all. Some learned the trade by trading, all were captivated by the process soon after they first came in contact with it.
I found the range of investments and their thoughts about the global economy fascinating. This is a very interesting book, especially so if you are interested in markets and trading. Their generally gloomy view of the future of the American economy is quite disturbing, though.
Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI.
A Rare Opportunity that Leaves One Wanting More.......2007-08-21
I love to have extended conversations with experts. I feed off their enthusiasm and expertise. These conversations are even more exciting to me, when the person with whom I am speaking is an expert in a field I love.
With only one lowly exception, Steven Drobny has written a winner for me. By interviewing as assembling the edited transcripts of his conversations in his book, Inside the House of Money, Drobny opened a gateway into the thinking and experiences of 13 successful Global Macro investors.
Although many have the reputations as being secretive and reluctant to discuss their market approaches, the author gives the reader a glimpse of the thinking that goes into placing a multi-million trade on currencies, economies and securities.
Drobny is uniquely qualified to do these interviews. As a partner in an international macroeconomic research and advisory firm, he brings a seasoned professional's insight to the interviews. Key historical events that shaped the experiences of these traders are explored. Nuances of the current crowded markets are discussed intelligently. As a result, the reader gains precious insights into the subtleties of running a Global Macro Hedge Fund.
There is only one problem with the book. I found myself wanting more from the interviewees. Drobny gave me access to people with whom I would never have the opportunity to speak. What I read was great, but I wanted more. But then again, I trade like that.
Excellent book.......2007-08-20
I found very interesting and rich of insights.
It's very useful in understanding hedge fund manager's approach to the markets.
Decent overview of global macro traders.......2007-08-15
The book kept my interest and was very informative. Some of the interviews were excellent. I say some, because those that trade closer to my style are obviously more interesting for me. but theres plenty here for everyone.
I liked the interviews of so many different styles because it just proves my personal theory that anyone can make money. Every trader in the book trades differently and they still all make money.
I also like the comments from many of these traders that said that we were heading for a sub-prime meltdown and that the banks would be having problems. This was written more than a year ago, and thats exactly whats happening today. Dow is now down 8.6% off the high it made last month. The volatility is crazy. And these guys predicted it long ago. Lots of good insight from their interviews.
Amazon.com
Invoking the words and spirit of Thomas Paine, investor-turned-historian John Bogle concedes that his ideas for revamping the mutual-fund industry are perhaps "not yet sufficiently fashionable to procure them general favor." But despite likening the "ills and injustices suffered by mutual fund investors" to those "our forebears suffered under English tyranny," Bogle--founder of the Vanguard Group--makes a strong case for index funds with this exhaustive study of investing.
He begins with primer-like essays on investment strategy, championing mutual funds for their inherent investment value, and then grinding each point home with a bevy of graphs, charts, entertaining anecdotes, and common sense. He repeatedly stresses time as a basic tenet for investing, listing these simple rules: "Time is your friend"; "Impulse is your enemy"; "Stay the course." And then he proceeds to blast fund managers, who have become marketers rather than managers.
The trade-off between the profits that accrue to fund shareholders and the profits that accrue to the fund management companies seems subject to no effective independent watchdog or balance wheel, despite the fact that the shareholders actually own the mutual funds.
It's an interesting concept: smart, reasoned investors can all but secure their financial future, but the system itself, run unchecked by fund managers, needs a major overhaul. And considering the amount of reasoned, historically based support he includes, readers will have a hard time finding fault with the sometimes controversial Bogle. Equal parts instructional and crusade, Common Sense on Mutual Funds deserves the attention it's likely to receive. Recommended. --Rob McDonald
Book Description
NATIONAL BESTSELLER!
"Cogent, honest, and hard-hitting-a must read for every investor." -Warren E. Buffett
Praise for Common Sense on Mutual Funds
"Invoking both Thomas Paine and Benjamin Graham, Jack Bogle outlines a supremely logical plan not only to better investors' returns, but to improve the whole fund industry. This isn't just the best book yet by Bogle, it may well be the best book ever on mutual funds." -DON PHILLIPS, President & CEO, Morningstar, Inc.
"Buffett cannot teach you or me how to become a Warren Buffett. Bogle's reasoned precepts can enable a few million of us savers to become in twenty years the envy of our suburban neighbors-while at the same time we have slept well in these eventful times."-PAUL A. SAMUELSON, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Department of Economics
"After a lifetime of picking stocks, I have to admit that Bogle's arguments in favor of the index fund have me thinking of joining him rather than trying to beat him. Bogle's wisdom and his commonsense way of explaining things make this book indispensable reading for anyone trying to figure out how to invest in this crazy stock market."-JAMES J. CRAMER, Money Manager and Senior Columnist for TheStreet.com
"Written in his characteristic forthright and visionary style, Bogle penetrates the myths and jargon to shed a powerful light on the central issues that confront every investor, no matter what their level of experience or sophistication." -MARTIN L. LEIBOWITZ, Vice Chairman and Chief Investment Officer, TIAA-CREF
"Jack Bogle is one of the great pioneer/visionaries of the investment business. In this book, he shares his knowledge, experience, and judgment to enable us to become better investors. The final philosophical chapters provide insights that may help some of us become better people." -BYRON R. WIEN, Chief U.S. Investment Strategist Morgan Stanley Dean Witter
Customer Reviews:
A "Must Have" on Mutual Funds.......2007-10-16
Investing in mutual funds? This book is the granddaddy of books that reveal everything you want and need to know about mutual fund investing. Bogle, the founder of Vanguard, delivers a knockout blockbuster here that you won't want to miss.
This book did it for me........2007-10-04
Very detailed and informative book. I still read it from time to time to keep my investment perspective. It lead me to index investing a number of years ago, and I've never been sorry!
Excellent Complete Guide on Investments.......2007-09-27
This book reads like a college text (easier version from Bogle would be the little book of common sense investing) but it has all the information you will need to become a proficient investor of mutual funds. What impressed me the most was the use of data going back several hundred years for the case of asset allocation, the use of diversified equities, and cost containment.
Common Sense on Mutual Funds.......2007-08-26
Very good analysis of how mutual funds work and how difficult it is for a fund manager to provide the outstanding management necessary to beat the market average. But, it ignores the possibility of beating the market by using index funds and/or international funds to beat the US market, and by using the best funds available, regardless of the fund family.
I have read other books about investing in mutual funds that were much more help to me.
a must read for investors.......2007-03-22
This is by far the best investment book I have ever read. The analyses are brilliant,Mr. Bogle pulls back the curtain on the mutual fund industry.
Book Description
Develop a Winning Investment Strategy -- with Expert Advice from "The Nation's #1 Money Manager"
Peter Lynch's "invest in what you know" strategy has made him a household name with investors both big and small.
An important key to investing, Lynch says, is to remember that stocks are not lottery tickets. There's a company behind every stock and a reason companies -- and their stocks -- perform the way they do. In this book, newly revised and updated for the paperback edition, Peter Lynch shows you how you can become an expert in a company and how you can build a profitable investment portfolio, based on your own experience and insights and on straightforward do-it-yourself research. There's no reason the individual investor can't match wits with the experts, and this book will show you how.
In Beating the Street, Lynch for the first time:
* Explains how to devise a mutual fund strategy
* Shows how he goes about picking stocks, step-by-step
* Describes how the individual investor can improve his or her investment performance to rival that of the experts of the investment clubs.
Customer Reviews:
A study in excellence.......2007-02-15
What a great book of explanation. He gives many of his normal habits to us that are away from all the other advise of investors and financial advisors. His whys may sound old fashioned but look at his record and you will be old fashioned also if you could obtain what he did. I will read any and all of his other books now. I only see one listed at this point but will hope to find him writing more. I have been in the Magellian fund since 1986 and his success has proven itself to me personally.
Entertaining and useful.......2007-02-10
This book is a must-read for anyone interested investing. Peter Lynch ran one of the most successful mutual funds in history, the Fidelity Megellan Fund, which averaged an annual return of 29% during his 13 year tenure. He is also ranked by Wall Street as one of the most successful stock pickers on the planet. In Beating the Streets, Lynch outlines his common-sense approach to stock picking. The approach, labeled as "buy what you know" by Lynch, or investing in your "circle of competence" as referred to by Warren Buffet, is a simple strategy the yields results proven by many successful investors. In his book, Lynch goes through his entire process of stock picking from how he discovers a lead through what numbers he looks at to how he investigates the company behind the stock. I found the book to be an extremely accessible, comprehensive, and practical guide that is written in an entertaining and light-hearted manner. I highly recommend this book to anyone that wasn't born with a fortune in their bank account.
The Lynch Classic--Unbeatable, except perhaps Warren Buffett's Annual Reports.......2007-02-04
Lynch makes lots of good points. One of them is as a small investor you can buy into thinly traded stocks on the way up, such as APCC in the early days.
Big funds simply can't get enough stock to make it "worthwhile," an interesting point, usually overlooked by the pros in their writing.
if you want to know how to invest you don't need this book!.......2007-01-29
if you want to know how to invest you don't need this book!
90% of this book is Peter Lynch story
not as good as I expected.......2007-01-22
A lot of repeating in this book. Lack of good ideas.
Amazon.com
This handy fact-filled book initiates you into the mysteries of the financial pages -- buying stocks, bonds, mutual funds, futures and options, spotting trends and evaluating companies. For those who are curious but intimidated by everyday financial jargon, this guide offers a literate, forthright and lively alternative. Recommended.
Book Description
The Wall Street Journal Guide to Understanding Money & Investing initiates you into the mysteries of the financial pages -- buying stocks, bonds, mutual funds, futures and options, spotting trends and evaluating companies. For those who are curious but intimidated by everyday financial jargon, this guide offers a literate, forthright and lively alternative.
Customer Reviews:
Great!.......2007-03-27
Just finished reading it. Wow, what a mind trip. Fast shipment too!
Investing for Dummies.......2005-05-03
I cant believe that I went through college without taking business or econ classes (except for political economy). This is a way for me to catch up.
I like this book because it is easy to read and understand. So easy even an elementary school kid could understand....ok maybe junior high.
Eventually I would hope to read the Intelligent Investor.
Excellent basics.......2004-12-08
This book is excellent for learning the basic concepts in investing and finance. If you would like to iniciate in this area, i recommend this book as an entry door with the basics.
The Best.......2004-05-25
As many have said in their reviews, this is a great starting point for those new to investing and financial markets. In fact, it's the best I've ever found and I've looked a lot. The simple, plain English explanations are what makes this book stand out. For the nuances and more detailed information regarding the topics in the book, look to a textbook from a college finance class. But for the person who knows very little, start with this.
Good for beginner investors.......2004-05-23
If you are new to investing and need a simple primer, read this book. It's well organized and written. Those that have invested for a while will find this book simplistic. Nevertheless, I think every beginning investor should get a copy and read it.
Product Description
Want to know how to trade the hottest new investment vehicle? This book reveals the secrets of profiting from a new and growing investment vehicle the Exchange-Traded Fund. Pulling from experts in the field like Linda Bradford Raschke and Steve Palmquist, this book has all the information you need to begin trading ETFs for profit: Learn the basics of ETFs; how they work, why they re growing in popularity, and how you can get your share of the profits. Discover the way to apply classic techniques to leverage your ETF investments for both the short-term and long-term. Study simple but highly effective mechanical ETF rotation techniques (style, sector, and international) that are now available to the individual investor. ETF Trading Strategies Revealed doesn t end there. Learn from long-time trader and founder of AIQ Systems, Dr. J.D. Smith, what it takes to mentally be the best. When you have the emotional discipline to follow his techniques, you ll find increased profits aren t far behind.
Customer Reviews:
Strategy can be improved.......2007-10-18
Without a doubt, this is a solid, easy to follow investment model that will blow the socks off of many investing/trading strategies. One gripe I have about this book, however, is the fact that Vomund doesn't add market timing. I have conducted many backtests using my own timing model with a 2ETF portfolio with much better results with no timing. 2002 is a good example of how timing would of kept you out of the market until late 2002, when the market started to base. Additionally, portfolio size is critical. I've found a 1ETF portfolio (yes, higher risk) performs exceptional better than a 2 ETF portfolio. I'm sure Vomund incorporates these two areas in his on investing. I just wish he would of addressed them in the book.
Great strategy for your long term money.......2007-09-05
This book is FANTASTIC! If you are looking for a way to do better than the market in a relaxed and simple way, this is it. This is not a trading strategy, its an investment strategy which has given me all of the answers I've needed for investing our nest egg. It is perfect for 401Ks, education accounts, and retirement accounts. Thanks to David Vomund for sharing this with us!!!
Yawn .......2007-08-13
You can get more information from the select sector spyders website, you can even get up to date analysis. The book is a joke, why do people insist on writing such garbage!. Don't waste your time here.
Very useful yet simple to use methods for ETF investing.......2007-07-28
David Vomund has written this book with simplicity and clarity.His approach is very methodical and practical.Novice as well seasoned investors can adopt his method without spending too much time.It is a small book but thoroughly focussed on its principal objective.
David's methodology is very mechanical and its strength lies in its ease of use.
I recommend this book to anyone who is thinking of ETF investing
Rashmi Shah
sleep at night strategy.......2007-05-11
I have followed these traders, espicially D Vomond! He offers very good investment advice, and you do not have to trade every day, hanging on the markets every little or big movement!
Just check things once every week or two and upgrade if needed! takes maybe 10- 15 minutes a week!
I also subscribe to his newsletter service! check my e-mail on the weekend, enter the trade on trade trggers, and off to my life for the rest of the week!
you allways know what ETF's have the most momentum international, sector, or index small, mid, or large cap, groth or value!
Book Description
Learn the successful strategies behind hedge fund investing
Hedge funds and hedge fund trading strategies have long been popular in the financial community because of their flexibility, aggressiveness, and creativity. Trade Like a Hedge Fund capitalizes on this phenomenon and builds on it by bringing fresh and practical ideas to the trading table. This book shares 20 uncorrelated trading strategies and techniques that will enable readers to trade and invest like never before. With detailed examples and up-to-the-minute trading advice, Trade Like a Hedge Fund is a unique book that will help readers increase the value of their portfolios, while decreasing risk.
James Altucher (New York, NY) is a partner at Subway Capital, a hedge fund focused on special arbitrage situations, and short-term statistically based strategies. Previously, he was a partner with technology venture capital firm 212 Ventures and was CEO and founder of Vaultus, a wireless and software company.
Download Description
Learn the successful strategies behind hedge fund investing
Hedge funds and hedge fund trading strategies have long been popular in the financial community because of their flexibility, aggressiveness, and creativity. Trade Like a Hedge Fund capitalizes on this phenomenon and builds on it by bringing fresh and practical ideas to the trading table. This book shares 20 uncorrelated trading strategies and techniques that will enable readers to trade and invest like never before. With detailed examples and up-to-the-minute trading advice, Trade Like a Hedge Fund is a unique book that will help readers increase the value of their portfolios, while decreasing risk.
James Altucher (New York, NY) is a partner at Subway Capital, a hedge fund focused on special arbitrage situations, and short-term statistically based strategies. Previously, he was a partner with technology venture capital firm 212 Ventures and was CEO and founder of Vaultus, a wireless and software company.
Customer Reviews:
Primer for You Creativity.......2007-08-03
I thought the trading examples and strategies were creative and well explained. It might not be completely appropriate to take these "trading systems" and use them as-is directly in your trading, but they certainly are a good primer to get you thinking of creative ways to find and exploit market inefficiecies and tendencies. The stock market is not completely random, which is why I think these "panic" and other stategies have merit. You've got to think up you're own trading stategies to fit your personality and strengths and I think this book is a good start towards that objective. I've used my own adaptation of the QQQQ crash system and it has worked well. The only thing I wished the book covered more was maybe a short rebuttal chapter to those who would suggest that this is all data mining, which I don't believe it is.
This is a unique book and one that is worth reading.
Simplistic like a Childs Toy = Trade Like a Hedge Fund.......2007-03-03
I should have known better, after buying and reading 50 or so books related to trading, the title should have given me pause for thought before purchase. No hedge fund trades like this (with the exception of trend following but certainly not with the proposed strategy) Give me a break. The worst $40 I've spent in a long time. Don't waste your time or money
Focused Strategies for Gaming Institutions and Retail.......2007-02-26
This is not a book about how to pick the next MSFT, or how to be a master of the Universe. It outlines several strategies by which traders can make money from
1. Panic
2. Slippage as the result of institutional biases
There is not a lot of detail about risk management, back testing crietria, optimized bet sizes etc. - the author dismisses a lot of The Street's "curve fitting" and over-rationalization through numbers. The basics of how to run your own book - that is for you to figure out. What this book does is demonstrate how one trader - who makes a living from it - thinks and tries to game his opponents.
As for the opinion that Mr. Altucher is not running a hugely successful fund (in AUM terms), that seems to be the case. But then again, he seems more intent on being an asset MANAGER, rather than an asset ACQUIRER, which is what most >$5bn HFs are now.
Give this book a read - it will give you IDEAS, not a roadmap.
Trade Like a Hedge Fund: 20 Successful Uncorrelated Strategies & Techniques to Winning Profits (Wiley Trading).......2007-02-19
Very well written. Clearly understandable systems. Not all would work for my style of trading but quite a few would work just fine. I've already recommended this book to several other traders. I especially like that the systems work without leverage or short selling which means they are suitable for deferred taxation type accounts (IRAs and 401ks).
Good book but missing some of Toby Crabel's meat.......2006-10-12
James Altucher comes closest to describing some good trading strategies.
However, you still need to know the fundamentals of trading taught by Toby Crabel or Linda Raschke. A good book.
Book Description
All About Asset Allocation goes beyond sound-bite financial columns and TV programs to explain asset allocation in terms that anyone can under- stand. Using a concise style, it features straight- forward explanations of asset allocation, a review of the asset allocation process, and guidelines for implementing strategies and programs.
Customer Reviews:
This book.......2007-10-11
I would consider it a good book for someone who is fairly knowlegable about investments already. If you are a beginner, I think you will find this book a bit confusing. Best of luck.
Excellent Asset Allocation Information.......2007-09-16
I'd gotten past the whole "How much should I save? Reduce your debt, pay yourself first" personal finance books and really wanted to understand asset allocation beyond 80% stocks and 20% bonds. I lucked out finding this book, it was exactly what I wanted and more. It's unfortunate asset allocation books get short shrift in bookstores and even in general searches on Amazon for "personal finance." It's such a critical component of long-term investing, and it's the piece that most personal finance and/or retirement books gloss over.
Asset allocation is not just about stocks and bonds, but it's about asset classes, styles, foreign vs U.S. -- and this book includes some incredibly revealing information about how adding certain "riskier" investments actually REDUCES portfolio risk and increases returns. I've read a couple of the books this author recommended after his, but this was the perfect one to start with. I can't recommend it highly enough.
I wish people would stop pushing this..........2007-09-02
The first review for this book states -
"Gary Brinson's 1986 famous study can be defined as the birth of asset allocation. He found that over 90% of a portfolio's return can be determined by the asset classes used, not what the individual investments were. Brinson's findings have been relatively slow to flow through the investment community and to individual investors."
This is 100% absolutely WRONG!!!!! Brinson's study did NOT measure portfolio return performance! Whenever I see the Brinson study manipulated into schlock like this it raises the hair on the back of my neck.... Brinson's study measured the VARIABILITY of the "actual portfolio returns vs. the portfolio's benchmark index composition returns"... and it only dealt with large institutional portfolios... which means that the study is really about 95% irrelavant to most individual investors...
If you really want to read what the study actually said, and read about the critics of the study (there are many) - http://publish.uwo.ca/~jnuttall/asset.html
Portfolio performance attribution puts the asset allocation model as delivering between 40-65% of the portfolio's return - depending on whose model or study you use....
That means that 35% - 60% of your return is determined by timing and security selection - ACTIVE management!!!!
Anyone who tells you that the Brinson study determined the amount of performance dictated by the asset alocation policy never read the Brinson study!
Asset allocaton is about diversifying risks - not assets... That means you pay attention to return correlations.... and don't forget to differentiate between asset classes and "SUB" asset classes..... Small cap, mid cap, and large cap (and even breaking those into value and growth) are all SUB classes of ONE asset class - equities!
Good Overview.......2007-06-27
This is exactly what I was looking for. This book gives a brief description of the markets that is understandable for a beginner.
The kids are interested in learning about the market and this seems to be understandable introduction.
Well beyond the basics - excellent!.......2007-06-16
I have been reading many investment books over the last 6 months and this is one of the best along with the author's book on index funds. It is a little bit technical and has the feel of an economics book - perfect for me. I did not want a book on asset allocation that told me to buy a mix of stocks and bonds. I wanted to know why and what and the theory behind it. The author does not spell out a final answer for you (buy X% of this and X% of that) - You are educated in asset allocation and then you do your own work and decision making.
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