Wiley Finance Series

An engaging and comprehensive look at the intersection of financial innovation and the environment This unique book provides readers with a comprehensive look at the new markets being created to help companies manage environmental risks, including weather derivatives, catastrophe bonds, and emission trading permits. Filled with real-world case studies and timely advice, Environmental Finance contains corporate strategies that financial service professionals as well as their clients must understand in order to proactively improve a company's environmental performance.

Essential guidance for recovery of lost assets through arbitration, mediation and other forms of conflict resolution Since the discovery of the Madoff fraud and investment scandals associated with the global credit crisis, investors have become aware that they can fight back and demand both justice and monetary recovery. To date, the only reliable resources on securities arbitration have been either sensationalized accounts of how to sue Wall Street or legal references, which provide no practical application. Filled with expert guidance showing investors how arbitration works, Investor's Guide to Loss Recovery fills that gap by providing a focus on all of the investor's options when a conflict arises. Includes charts showing the major areas of litigation as well as empirical evidence of enhanced awareness of investment misconduct Proprietary research by the author, demonstrating arbitration results Analysis on how newly enacted regulatory reforms will impact the process and options for financial fraud victims Personal interviews with securities attorneys, experts and investors Detailed scripts of initial attorney interviews, mediation and arbitration New financial regulations are impacting the options available to investors looking to recover assets. Investor's Guide to Loss Recovery is must-have reading for every investor, financial advisor, and attorney.

Integrates essential risk management practices with practical corporate business strategies Focusing on educating readers on how to integrate risk management with corporate business strategy-not just on hedging practices-The Risk Management Process is the first financial risk management book that combines a detailed, big picture discussion of firm-wide risk management with a comprehensive discussion of derivatives-based hedging strategies and tactics. An essential component of any corporate business strategy today, risk management has become a mainstream business process at the highest level of the world's largest financial institutions, corporations, and investment management groups. Addressing the need for a well-balanced book on the subject, respected leader and teacher on the subject Christopher Culp has produced a well-balanced, comprehensive reference text for a broad audience of financial institutions and agents, nonfinancial corporations, and institutional investors.

Gain a deeper understanding of Asian financial reporting and how to detect irregularities The Asian region, and particularly China, is becoming a hotbed of investment activity. There have been quite a few accounting scandals in Asia in the recent years – now rivaling those we have seen in the Americas and Europe. Assessing potential or active overseas investments requires reliance on financial statements, the full parameters of which may vary from region to region. To effectively analyze statements, it is necessary to first understand the framework underlying these financial statements and then lay out a protocol for detecting irregularities. It's impossible to create and implement a practical plan without a deeper knowledge of the various factors at play. Asian Statement Analysis: Detecting Financial Irregularities provides a framework for analysis that makes irregularities stand out. Authors Chin Hwee Tan and Thomas R. Robinson discuss international financial reporting standards, including characteristics particular to the Asian region. Tan and Robinson's combined background in academia and Asian finance give them a multi-modal perspective and position them as top authorities on the topic. In the book, they address issues such as: Detection of irregularities independent of particular accounting rules The most common irregularities in the Asian market Similarities and differences between U.S. and Asian accounting techniques An overarching framework for irregularity detection The book uses real-world examples to illustrate the concepts presented, with the focus on Asian companies. As the first ever in-depth study on manipulation and irregularities in the Asian market, Asian Financial Statement Analysis: Detecting Financial Irregularities is uniquely positioned to be a valuable resource in the move toward the next phase of global reporting standards.

A powerful guide for seeking out the best acquisition and merger targets As increasingly more companies look to mergers and acquisitions (M&As) as a source of new growth and revenue, there is an even greater chance that these M&As will go bad. This insightful guide focuses on one of the most often debated and key issues in mergers and acquisitions-why some deals fail miserably and why others prosper. It provides a complete road map for what potential buyers should look for when picking a target and what characteristics of sellers they should steer clear of, as well as pitfalls to avoid during the M&A process. Real-world examples are provided of high-profile failures-Quaker Oats, United Airlines, Sears, and Mattel-and high-profile successes-General Electric and Cisco. Patrick A. Gaughan (New York, NY) is President of Economatrix Research Associates and a professor of Economics and Finance at the College of Business, Fairleigh Dickinson University. He is actively engaged in the practice of business valuations for mergers and acquisitions, as well as other related applications.

Includes trading examples that illustrate points about risk management and leverage. Presents all the practical knowledge necessary to run a leveraged investment company. Non-technical explanations brings an element of transparency to a part of the investment world often thought of as difficult to understand.

A comprehensive guide to the continuously evolving world of securitization The Second Edition of The Securitization Markets Handbook is a valuable resource for both experienced money managers trying to put a securitization strategy into place as well as newcomers looking to acquire a broad and strong foundation in this discipline. This edition takes a close look at the pre- and post-crash mortgage market and the mortgage-backed securities based on those mortgages, as well as other asset-backed securities including commercial paper or credit cards. The crash of the subprime market and the failure of the asset-backed markets offer an opportunity to learn about banking finance, specifically off-balance sheet finance, and the many costly mistakes that resulted in one of the most severe downturns in financial markets. With this book, you'll discover why certain mortgage and asset-backed securities imploded and others didn't. This new edition examines why the market failed and how the next crisis can be averted or made less severe. It also explains why securitization remains a primary source of capital for the mortgage market, credit card market, home equity market, auto loan market, and segments of the commercial paper market. Offers an informed overview of how the securitization market works, how to make money in it, and what's next for asset- and mortgage-backed securities after the crisis Contains new chapters on CDOs and SIVs, along with a history of the growth and crash of the subprime market, asset-backed securities, and home equity lines of credit Written by securitization experts Charles Stone and Anne Zissu Updated to reflect the current market environment, the Second Edition of The Securitization Markets Handbook offers clear, comprehensive guidance to these complex markets.

In-depth coverage in a single handbook of the middle market based on the body of knowledge of the Certified M&A Advisor credential program M&A advisors have an unprecedented opportunity in the middle market with the generational transfer of wealth and capital being deployed by private equity and corporate investors. Middle Market M&A: Handbook for Investment Banking and Business Consulting is a must-read for investment bankers, M&A intermediaries and specialists, CPAs and accountants, valuation experts, deal and transaction attorneys, wealth managers and investors, corporate development leaders, consultants and advisors, CEOs, and CFOs. Provides a holistic overview and guide on mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and strategic transactions of companies with revenues from $5 million to $500 million Encompasses current market trends, activities, and strategies covering pre, during, and post transaction Addresses the processes and core subject areas required to successfully navigate and close deals in the private capital market Includes content on engagement and practice management for those involved in the M&A business This practical guide and reference is also an excellent primer for those seeking to obtain their FINRA Series 79 license.

Covers the hottest topic in investment for multitrillion pension market and institutional investors Institutional investors and fund managers understand they must take risks to generate superior investment returns, but the question is how much. Enter the concept of risk budgeting, using quantitative risks measurements, including VaR, to solve the problem. VaR, or value at risk, is a concept first introduced by bank dealers to establish parameters for their market short-term risk exposure. This book introduces VaR, extreme VaR, and stress-testing risk measurement techniques to major institutional investors, and shows them how they can implement formal risk budgeting to more efficiently manage their investment portfolios. Risk Budgeting is the most sophisticated and advanced read on the subject out there in the market.

Financial professionals are faced with increasingly technical topics that are theoretically complicated but practically necessary in determining the trade-off between risk and return. The Portable Financial Analyst, Second Edition is a unique collection of essays that address the heart of every analyst's and investor's dilemma: how to make decisions in the face of unknown forces and how to assert some control over the outcome

Praise for Private Equity "Private Equity: History, Governance, and Operations is an invaluable guide to understanding the world of private equity investing. Harry Cendrowski and his colleagues have drawn on their extensive experience and expertise to produce a book that is remarkably comprehensive and authoritative." —Robert Larson, Chairman, Lazard Real Estate Partners LLC and Larson Realty Group Managing Director, Lazard Alternative Investments "Private Equity: History, Governance, and Operations is an essential text for any business/finance professional's library. Applicable to both seasoned private equity gurus and students of the industry, its in-depth analysis of 'Best Practices' is well researched and clearly written." —William Campbell, Managing Director, W.Y. Campbell & Company "This is an interesting and very well-written book. It not only clearly describes the history and techniques of private equity investing, it also provides a thorough examination of the rarely appreciated relationships among internal control design and operation, corporate governance and sound investment decision-making and management. It is an important contribution to the literature of finance." —Barry Epstein, PhD, CPA, Partner, Russell Novak & Company, LLP, and author of Wiley GAAP 2008, The Handbook of Accounting and Auditing, and Wiley IFRS 2008 "Harry Cendrowski really hits a homerun with his newest book about the private equity (PE) industry. A definitive, authoritative text on the subject, it answered all my questions, plus some, and gave me a complete frame of reference where I now feel well informed on PE. I would recommend this book to anyone connected to the PE industry, business advisors, academics, and business owners." —Parnell Black, MBA, CPA, CVA, Chief Executive Officer, National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts (NACVA) "The timing could not be better to learn more about the current best practices and governance in the world of private equity. What was once an exclusive asset class reserved for the largest, most sophisticated investors has now become a mainstream alternative investment option for investors of all sizes. Still, many investors do not fully understand how the business works. Private Equity: History, Governance, and Operations endows its readers with an A-to-Z education on this emerging asset class, irrespective of their previous experiences." —Maribeth S. Rahe, President and Chief Executive Officer, Fort Washington Investment Advisors, Inc. & Fort Washington Capital Partners "As a private equity practitioner in the financial services space, I found this book to be a comprehensive-and comprehendible-resource covering all relevant aspects of the business of private equity. This book provides valuable 'how-to's' for improving the likelihood of having successful portfolio companies, with successful exits. Furthermore, both veteran and prospective PE investors now have a resource available to help them screen PE opportunities that best fit with their risk and return objectives." —Scott B. McCallum, Principal, Resource Financial Institutions Group, Inc. "For years, private equity has been a misunderstood asset class. Harry Cendrowski's book defines private equity in clear, concise terms. Anyone in the financial world will benefit from the insights, guidelines, and experiences detailed in Private Equity: History, Governance, and Operations." —Bob Clone, Senior Portfolio Manager, Alternative Investments Division, Michigan Department of Treasury

The most viable exit strategies for owners of mid-sized companies For many business owners, cashing out of a business is a lifelong dream. For some, exiting a business can be a nightmare. Business Exit Planning: Options, Value Enhancement, and Transaction Management for Business Owners provides a comprehensive view of what every business owner needs to know to plan and execute a business exit. The book Includes 30 relevant mini-case studies on business exit planning and transaction management, as well as a glossary of frequently used technical terms Details options for those owners who no longer want to be active in the business, as well as for those who want to remain invested Covers a wide range of topics related to business exit planning and transaction management, including IPO, MBO, refinancing, ESOPs, building an exit team, business plan and valuation, due diligence, and estate planning Regardless of whether a business owner seeks an immediate exit or a staged exit over time, Business Exit Planning provides a comprehensive strategy and road map to define exit-related objectives.

"I've worked with simulation in business for over 20 years, and Allman really nails it with this book. I admit that I own his previous book on structured finance cash flows, but I was surprised by what I found in here. He addresses the fundamental questions of how decision makers react to simulations and his read was very much in accordance with what I've experienced myself. When it came to the nuts and bolts of describing the different types of simulation analysis the book becomes incredibly detailed. There is working code and models for a fantastic array of the most common simulation problems. If you're so inclined, the book very carefully steps through the tricky math needed to really understand the theory behind stochastic modeling in finance. If you're preparing models that include any kind of randomization or stochastic modeling component, this book is a must-read, a tremendous value and time-saver." — David Brode of The Brode Group A practical guide to understanding and implementing financial simulation modeling As simulation techniques become more popular among the financial community and a variety of sub-industries, a thorough understanding of theory and implementation is critical for practitioners involved in portfolio management, risk management, pricing, and capital budgeting. Financial Simulation Modeling in Excel contains the information you need to make the most informed decisions possible in your professional endeavors. Financial Simulation Modeling in Excel contains a practical, hands-on approach to learning complex financial simulation methodologies using Excel and VBA as a medium. Crafted in an easy to understand format, this book is suitable for anyone with a basic understanding of finance and Excel. Filled with in-depth insights and expert advice, each chapter takes you through the theory behind a simulation topic and the implementation of that same topic in Excel/VBA in a step-by-step manner. Organized in an easy-to-follow fashion, this guide effectively walks you through the process of creating and implementing risk models in Excel A companion website contains all the Excel models risk experts and quantitative analysts need to practice and confirm their results as they progress Keith Allman is the author of other successful modeling books, including Corporate Valuation Modeling and Modeling Structured Finance Cash Flows with Microsoft Excel Created for those with some background in finance and experience in Excel, this reliable resource shows you how to effectively perform sound financial simulation modeling, even if you've yet to do extensive modeling up to this point in your professional or academic career.

The Business of Options shows how to conduct a professional options business. While it addresses the principles and practices of option trading and hedging in great detail, the book is the first to do so from a management perspective. O'Connell's extensive experience in option trading, training, and consulting enables the book to offer a unique combination of sophistication, clarity and insight. Most option books that are written for professionals focus on advanced math or on specific trades. This book goes farther, incorporating broad strategic considerations and exploring the implications of likely human behavior. It often challenges conventional wisdom of "what works" in the options business. Its intuitive approach to complex issues involving options enables readers to stretch their mathematical capabilities. Its down-to-earth explanations about the business of options reflect both the optimism and skepticism of a seasoned practitioner in the option market who has, for over 20 years, advised and trained professional dealers and users of options around the world.

The most cutting-edge read on the pricing, modeling, and management of credit risk available The rise of credit risk measurement and the credit derivatives market started in the early 1990s and has grown ever since. For many professionals, understanding credit risk measurement as a discipline is now more important than ever. Credit Risk Measurement, Second Edition has been fully revised to reflect the latest thinking on credit risk measurement and to provide credit risk professionals with a solid understanding of the alternative approaches to credit risk measurement. This readable guide discusses the latest pricing, modeling, and management techniques available for dealing with credit risk. New chapters highlight the latest generation of credit risk measurement models, including a popular class known as intensity-based models. Credit Risk Measurement, Second Edition also analyzes significant changes in banking regulations that are impacting credit risk measurement at financial institutions. With fresh insights and updated information on the world of credit risk measurement, this book is a must-read reference for all credit risk professionals. Anthony Saunders (New York, NY) is the John M. Schiff Professor of Finance and Chair of the Department of Finance at the Stern School of Business at New York University. He holds positions on the Board of Academic Consultants of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors as well as the Council of Research Advisors for the Federal National Mortgage Association. He is the editor of the Journal of Banking and Finance and the Journal of Financial Markets, Instruments and Institutions. Linda Allen (New York, NY) is Professor of Finance at Baruch College and Adjunct Professor of Finance at the Stern School of Business at New York University. She also is author of Capital Markets and Institutions: A Global View (Wiley: 0471130494). Over the years, financial professionals around the world have looked to the Wiley Finance series and its wide array of bestselling books for the knowledge, insights, and techniques that are essential to success in financial markets. As the pace of change in financial markets and instruments quickens, Wiley Finance continues to respond. With critically acclaimed books by leading thinkers on value investing, risk management, asset allocation, and many other critical subjects, the Wiley Finance series provides the financial community with information they want. Written to provide professionals and individuals with the most current thinking from the best minds in the industry, it is no wonder that the Wiley Finance series is the first and last stop for financial professionals looking to increase their financial expertise.

Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities are fixed-income securities, like bonds, which derive their return from an underlying mortgage or basket of mortgages, or an asset or basket of assets. This market has increased from about $100 billion in 1980 to over $2.5 trillion today. Filling the void for a new book on fixed-income, Salomon Smith Barney Guide to Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities provides a coherent and comprehensive approach to the subject. Featuring material used by the company, this book is an ideal training tool and resource for investment professionals, institutional investors, pension fund investors, and hedge-fund investors. Lakhbir Hayre (New York, NY) is a mortgage officer at Salomon Smith Barney, and their leading expert on mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities. He is a Certified Financial Analyst and a Doctor of Philosophy.

A corporate guide to understanding the basic tax implications of everyday business Organized to cover the tax implications of transactions as they occur through a company's life cycle, the basic principles of tax management are applied through the use of case studies that simulate a variety of real-world marketplace conditions. Value-added and financial reporting effects of tax management are discussed, as well as country-specific tax rules, and cross-border transactions. John E. Karayan, JD, PhD (Glendale, CA), is a professor at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. He is also a partner in the law firm of Bond Karayan. Charles W. Swenson, PhD (Pasadena, CA), is a professor at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, where he teaches a number of courses in accounting and taxation. Over the years, financial professionals around the world have looked to the Wiley Finance series and its wide array of bestselling books for the knowledge, insights, and techniques that are essential to success in financial markets. As the pace of change in financial markets and instruments quickens, Wiley Finance continues to respond. With critically acclaimed books by leading thinkers on value investing, risk management, asset allocation, and many other critical subjects, the Wiley Finance series provides the financial community with information they want. Written to provide professionals and individuals with the most current thinking from the best minds in the industry, it is no wonder that the Wiley Finance series is the first and last stop for financial professionals looking to increase their financial expertise.

Whether you are an investment professional managing billions of dollars or an individual investor with a small nest egg, TrimTabs Investing shows you how to beat the major stock market averages with less risk.  This groundbreaking book begins by comparing the stock market to a casino in which the house (public companies and the insiders who run them) buys and sells shares with the players (institutional and individual investors).  TrimTabs Investing argues that stock prices are primarily a function of liquidity—the amount of shares available for purchase and the amount of money available to buy them—rather than fundamental value.  Finally, it outlines the building blocks of liquidity theory and explains how you can use them to predict the direction of the stock market. “Charles Biderman, a savvy and battle-scarred veteran of the investment wars, has fashioned an intriguing approach to making money in the stock market that adroitly avoids both heavy-breathing speculation and the standard Wall Street practices that enable investors, big and small, to lose money in good markets as well as bad. Aimed at the sophisticated investor (which may or may not be an oxymoron), the book is written in blessedly straightforward prose and is a worthwhile read for anyone with an urge to have a fling at investing.--Alan Abelson Barron’s “Since the days of Joseph and Pharaoh, it has been axiomatic that the size of the grain harvest affects the level of grain prices; but today’s investors have been slow to appreciate the fact that the supply of stock shares significantly determines the level of stock prices. Biderman’s long overdue book outlines the theory and evidence behind ‘Trading Float,’ the actual—and exploitable—power behind major moves in the stock market. --Paul Montgomery CEO and CIO of Montgomery Capital Management “‘Trade as corporate execs do, not as they say.’ Charles Biderman has built an impressive list of hedge fund clients from this essential insight, and this book does a great job explaining exactly how retail investors can incorporate it into their investing.” --Eric Zitzewitz Assistant Professor of Economics, Stanford Graduate School of Business “Charles Biderman is a smart thinker, clear writer—and he offers here some very interesting ideas. This book is for the little guy who enjoys reading about money and economics, even if he doesn’t adopt the strategies offered here; and for the professional or sophisticated investor, who, to a greater or lesser degree, just might.--Andrew Tobias author of The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need

Comprehensive instruction on developing real-world financial models This book, designed for self-study, classroom use, and reference, presents a com-prehensive approach to developing simple to sophisticated financial models in all major areas of finance. The approach is based on the author's 20 years of experience of developing such models in the business world and teaching a popular MBA class in financial modeling. The book assumes only basic knowledge of Excel and teaches all advanced features of Excel and VBA from scratch using a unique simple method. A companion CD includes all working versions of all the models presented in the book and additional useful reference material. Chandan Sengupta (White Plains, NY) teaches finance in the MBA program at Fordham University's Graduate School of Business. Formerly, he was vice president of the Chase Manhattan Bank for eight years and senior financial advisor for Mobil Corporation for 10 years. He is also the author of The Only Proven Road to Investment Success (0-471-44307-7).

A step-by-step guide to implementing and closing securitization transactions Securitization is still in wide use despite the reduction in transactions. The reality is that investors and institutions continue to use this vehicle for raising funds and the demand for their use will continue to rise as the world's capital needs increase. The Mechanics of Securitization specifically analyzes and describes the process by which a bank successfully implements and closes a securitization transaction in the post subprime era. This book begins with an introduction to asset-backed securities and takes you through the historical impact of these transactions including the implications of the recent credit crisis and how the market has changed. Discusses, in great detail, rating agency reviews, liaising with third parties, marketing the deals, and securing investors Reviews due diligence and cash flow analysis techniques Examines credit and cash considerations as well as how to list and close deals Describes the process by which a bank will structure and implement the deal, and how the process is project managed and tested across internal bank departments While securitization transactions have been taking place for over twenty-five years, there is still a lack of information on exactly how they are processed successfully. This book will put you in a better position to understand how it all happens, and show you how to effectively implement an ABS transaction yourself.

Minimize risk and maximize profits with convertible arbitrage Convertible arbitrage involves purchasing a portfolio of convertible securities-generally convertible bonds-and hedging a portion of the equity risk by selling short the underlying common stock. This increasingly popular strategy, which is especially useful during times of market volatility, allows individuals to increase their returns while decreasing their risks. Convertible Arbitrage offers a thorough explanation of this unique investment strategy. Filled with in-depth insights from an expert in the field, this comprehensive guide explores a wide range of convertible topics. Readers will be introduced to a variety of models for convertible analysis, "the Greeks," as well as the full range of hedges, including titled and leveraged hedges, as well as swaps, nontraditional hedges, and option hedging. They will also gain a firm understanding of alternative convertible structures, the use of foreign convertibles in hedging, risk management at the portfolio level, and trading and hedging risks. Convertible Arbitrage eliminates any confusion by clearly differentiating convertible arbitrage strategy from other hedging techniques such as long-short equity, merger and acquisition arbitrage, and fixed-income arbitrage. Nick Calamos (Naperville, IL) oversees research and portfolio management for Calamos Asset Management, Inc. Since 1983 his experience has centered on convertible securities investment. He received his undergraduate degree in economics from Southern Illinois University and an MS in finance from Northern Illinois University.

Full coverage of ETF investments from an expert in the field The initial edition of Gary Gastineau's The Exchange-Traded Fund Manual was one of the first books to describe and analyze ETFs. It made the case for the superiority of the structure of investor-friendly ETFs over mutual funds and helped investors select better funds among the ETFs available. With this new edition, Gastineau provides comprehensive information on the latest developments in ETF structures, new portfolio variety, and new trading methods. With a realistic evaluation of today's indexes, Gastineau offers insights on actively managed ETFs, improved index funds, and fund and advisor selection. Discusses how to incorporate ETFs into an investment plan Offers updated coverage of new ETFs, including full-function actively managed ETFs, and a valuable chapter on trading ETFs Written by the leading authority on exchange traded funds Exchange-traded funds offer you diversification and participation in markets and investment strategies that have not been available to most investors. If you want to understand how to use ETFs effectively, the Second Edition of The Exchanged-Traded Fund Manual can show you how.

A clear, concise explanation of United States tax law’s international aspects In tackling a sometimes thorny set of laws and treaties, international tax expert Ernest Larkins emphasizes their economic effects, showing how to avoid hazards while reaping rewards which often go ignored. Coverage includes: Special issues arising when a foreign person invests in U.S. real estate, as well as the best structures for holding such real estate What a controlled foreign corporation is and what consequences result from this status Acceptable transfer pricing methods and what penalties apply when taxpayers do not follow arm’s-length principles International Applications of U.S. Income Tax Law also contains many useful tools which allow readers to build understanding through practice, as well as formulate and solve the complex problems international taxes can present. Order your copy today!

Written by the quantitative research team of Deutsche Bank, the world leader in innovative equity derivative transactions, this book acquaints readers with leading-edge thinking in modeling and hedging these transactions. Equity Derivatives offers a balanced, integrated presentation of theory and practice in equity derivative markets. It provides a theoretical treatment of each new modeling and hedging concept first, and then demonstrates their practical application. The book covers: the newest and fastest-growing class of derivative instruments, fund derivatives; cutting-edge developments in equity derivative modeling; new developments in correlation modeling and understanding volatility skews; and new Web-based implementation/delivery methods. Marcus Overhaus, PhD, Andrew Ferraris, DPhil, Thomas Knudsen, PhD, Frank Mao, PhD, Ross Milward, Laurent Nguyen-Ngoc, PhD, and Gero Schindlmayr, PhD, are members of the Quantitative Research team of Deutsche Bank's Global Equity Division, which is based in London and headed by Dr. Overhaus.

A comprehensive guide to investment guarantees in equity-linked life insurance Due to the convergence of financial and insurance markets, new forms of investment guarantees are emerging which require financial service professionals to become savvier in modeling and risk management. With chapters that discuss stock return models, dynamic hedging, risk measures, Markov Chain Monte Carlo estimation, and much more, this one-stop reference contains the valuable insights and proven techniques that will allow readers to better understand the theory and practice of investment guarantees and equity-linked insurance policies. Mary Hardy, PhD (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada), is an Associate Professor and Associate Chair of Actuarial Science at the University of Waterloo and is a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries and an Associate of the Society of Actuaries, where she is a frequent speaker. Her research covers topics in life insurance solvency and risk management, with particular emphasis on equity-linked insurance. Hardy is an Associate Editor of the North American Actuarial Journal and the ASTIN Bulletin and is a Deputy Editor of the British Actuarial Journal.

Based on an enormously popular "derivative instruments and applications" course taught by risk expert Christopher Culp at the University of Chicago, Risk Transfer will prepare both current practitioners and students alike for many of the issues and problems they will face in derivative markets. Filled with in-depth insight and practical advice, this book is an essential resource for those who want a comprehensive education and working knowledge of this major field in finance, as well as professionals studying to pass the GARP FRM exam. Christopher L. Culp, PhD (Chicago, IL), is a Principal at CP Risk Management LLC and is also Adjunct Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago. He is the author of Corporate Aftershock (0-471-43002-1) and The ART of Risk Management (0-471-12495-8).

This book presents a cogent description of the main methodologies used in derivatives pricing. Starting with a summary of the elements of Stochastic Calculus, Quantitative Methods in Derivatives Pricing develops the fundamental tools of financial engineering, such as scenario generation, simulation for European instruments, simulation for American instruments, and finite differences in an intuitive and practical manner, with an abundance of practical examples and case studies. Intended primarily as an introductory graduate textbook in computational finance, this book will also serve as a reference for practitioners seeking basic information on alternative pricing methodologies. Domingo Tavella is President of Octanti Associates, a consulting firm in risk management and financial systems design. He is the founder and chief editor of the Journal of Computational Finance and has pioneered the application of advanced numerical techniques in pricing and risk analysis in the financial and insurance industries. Tavella coauthored Pricing Financial Instruments: The Finite Difference Method. He holds a PhD in aeronautical engineering from Stanford University and an MBA in finance from the University of California at Berkeley.

A practical guide to strategies of hedge fund investing. Hedge fund expert Alexander Ineichen outlines strategies that hedge fund managers use to achieve superior investment performance, particularly in bear markets, when traditional investment strategies do not perform so well, and shows readers how hedge funds might be added to traditional investment portfolios to achieve superior returns. Nontechnical yet sophisticated, Absolute Returns shows investors how to make educated decisions about hedge fund investment--thoroughly explaining the risks as well as the rewards.

A complete explanation of the issues that determine private firm value Principles of Private Firm Valuation combines recent academic research and practical real-world experience to help readers better understand the multitude of factors that determine private firm value. For the financial professional serving private firms-who are increasingly being called upon to give advice on issues related to firm valuation and deal structure-this comprehensive guide discusses critical topics, including how firms create value and how to measure it, valuing control, determining the size of the marketability discount, creating transparency and the implications for value, the value of tax pass-through entities versus a C corporation, determining transaction value, and the valuation implications of FASB 141 (purchase price accounting) and 142 (goodwill impairment). Dr. Stanley J. Feldman (Lowell, MA) is Associate Professor of Finance at Bentley College, where he currently teaches courses in corporate finance with a focus on business valuation and business strategy at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. He is a member of the FASB Valuation Resource Group and is Chairman and cofounder of Axiom Valuation Solutions.

Introduces the modern investment management techniques used by Goldman Sachs asset management to a broad range of institutional and sophisticated investors. * Along with Fischer Black, Bob Litterman created the Black-Litterman asset allocation model, one of the most widely respected and used asset allocation models deployed by institutional investors. * Litterman and his asset management group are often a driving force behind the asset allocation and investment decision-making of the world's largest 100 pension funds.