The present revised and fully expanded edition of the book Understanding Investments continues to incorporate elements from traditional investment manuals, but goes further in that the material is presented from an intuitive, practical viewpoint, and the supplementary material included in each chapter is offered for both classroom discussion and further reading by students.
It provides the essential tools for navigating complex, global financial markets and instruments, including relevant (and classical) academic research and market perspectives.
The author has developed a range of key innovative features. One unique feature is the economic perspective, according to which each chapter includes a section dedicated to the economic analysis of the material in that chapter. Additionally, all chapters contain sections on strategies that investors can apply in specific situations, while also discussing the advantages and disadvantages of each.
The book further clarifies some of the concepts discussed in the previous edition, thereby offering a more detailed analysis and discussion, with more real-world examples. The author has added new, smaller text boxes labeled "Quick Market Insight" to emphasize the use or changes in current practices in the field, updates regarding strategies as applied by professionals, in order to provide useful investment information, updates on the existing regulatory framework, as well as anything else that may be relevant to the discussion and application of a concept.
This second edition also includes new sections on key issues in the investment field, such as alternative investments, disruptive technologies, and future trends in investment management.
This manual is intended for undergraduate students majoring in or with secondary education in finance and also for students in economics and related fields who wish to take an elective course in finance or investments.
