Guide to Financial Markets, Fourth Edition (Economist Books)

Aimed at a broad audience of business people, investment professionals, students, and general readers, this text provides an overview of the world's financial markets. Coverage includes (for example) currency, bond, securities, equity, futures, and derivatives markets. Syndicated loans and insurance products are not discussed. The volume lacks bibliographical references. Levinson is a former finance and economics editor of The Economist. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

The credit crunch and ensuing financial crisis showed just how volatile the financial markets can be. Even slight movements in market prices can have substantial effects on national economies, businesses and institutional investors such as pension funds. Individual investors, meanwhile, face choices among highly complex financial products that are increasingly difficult to get to grips with. Astute use of the financial markets can make all the difference to the bottom line. But in order to act astutely you must understand what you are doing.

The Guide to Financial Markets provides a clear explanation of the different markets. It goes well beyond stocks and bonds to explain the purposes and uses of equity futures and options, securitised instruments, and innovations such as the credit derivatives that can help manage risk but can also prove toxic when not used carefully. And so for anyone who wants a good understanding of:

• why markets matter

• international fixed-income markets

• foreign-exchange markets

• equity markets

• money markets

• futures and options markets

• bond markets

• derivatives markets

• securitisation

there is no better reference source than this fully revised and updated fifth edition of the Guide to Financial Markets.