Practical analysis for investment professionals 
In this extensive review of the history of finance, William Goetzmann covers the evolution of finance from ancient times to today, historic contributions to the financial system from around the world, and the ways the finance industry has affected the world around it. Interwoven throughout the rigorous history lesson are excellent practical suggestions for today’s investment practitioners based on Goetzmann’s analysis of the events of the past. Read more
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The authors analyze environmental commodity markets and how they can attract investments, focusing on the application of market-based instruments to incentivize the behavior and change needed to deliver environmental quality and mitigate environmental risk. This book can be read linearly, chapter by chapter, or it can be used by fund managers, regulatory investors, and green-finance experts as a reference to gain valuable insights into how to manage carbon markets. Read more
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Although a collection of company analyses may not seem like compelling reading, this volume covers an important and underappreciated topic and boasts a superb introduction by one of the great financial writers of our era, Edward Chancellor. Both real-life and fictional examples help readers deepen their understanding of the capital cycle and teach managers and analysts capital cycle pitfalls to avoid. Read more
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The “invisible hand” of the free market can hurt as well as help participants. The authors, who are Nobel Prize–winning economists, argue that as long as there is profit to be made, sellers will exploit our psychological and behavioral weaknesses through manipulation and deception. Read more
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The author focuses on market dislocation issues that make commodities different from other asset classes, looking at the market’s dynamics through the four major forces that influence the commodity landscape. He examines long-term issues and takes the discussion of commodity markets beyond the typical focus on financial pricing models, emphasizing instead the larger competitive forces of supply and demand. Read more
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Because they do not regard ethical failings in the financial industry as the actions of a few bad apples but, rather, as inevitable consequences of an unhealthy culture, the authors seek to restore the environment that existed before the major investment banks transformed themselves from partnerships into publicly traded corporations. The problems addressed in this book affect every participant in the financial system. Read more
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In this reissued book, the authors explore credit risk from four distinct quantitative perspectives — the occurrence, frequency, timing, and severity of a loss — and focus on the core econometric techniques for measuring each aspect. Given the industry failings associated with the recent global financial crisis, it is more important than ever for financial analysts to understand the mechanics of quantitative risk tools. Read more
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Providing a general overview of salient topics in risk management, this book is best suited to the experienced risk manager, who can turn to it for technical guidance and a good, succinct refresher on select topics. The beginner would do well to stick with the book’s qualitative discussions, which can serve as useful points of departure for further study. Read more
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Europe’s Orphan: The Future of the Euro and the Politics of Debt is a spirited defense and a thoughtful reinterpretation of the eurozone’s unpromising recent history, writes reviewer Mark Harrison, CFA. Read more
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The author, a thought leader in the pension industry, covers a broad spectrum of pension management topics. He focuses on changes the industry needs to make in order to overcome its challenges — in particular, its failure to achieve its goals of affordability and retirement security. The solutions already exist; the problem is one of implementation. Read more
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