Written for readers who are fed up with the paltry interest paid on bank savings accounts or the lackluster performance of their investment advisors. It assumes no prior knowledge of investing in stocks but will also appeal to existing investors who want to improve their performance.
It shows how publicly traded shares are created; how the financial markets operate and how they are regulated. It covers equities, bonds, exchange traded funds, hedge funds and mutual funds. It shows how to set up a trading account and the basics of fundamental and technical analysis. It covers different sectors and the importance of allocating assets.
There can be many pitfalls such as deceits by unscrupulous stock promoters, bad calls by analysts, incorrect economic forecasts and market crashes. In addition, sovereign debt, oil prices, political gridlock and terrorism can have dramatic effects on market performance. It warns of market bubbles but suggests that a contrarian approach might work.
Finally, this book lists sources of further information and suggests a very painless way to get started before committing any real money.