"Stock Markets, Investments and Corporate Behavior examines the nature of stock market growth and decline, the function of financial markets, and their implications for commercial companies. Traditionally, finance academics have attempted to understand financial markets and commercial companies as physicists approach their subject matter: with a set of laws in mind that govern the field. But finance is not physics. The academic's approach falsely assumes that financial markets can be understood as systems within which self-interested maximizers behave in logical ways that are coordinated by the invisible hand of the price mechanism. This book demonstrates that finance is more appropriately understood as a field in which investors and finance managers may or may not use rational calculations as the basis of their decision making. This book opens with an effective dismantling of the traditional mathematical approach used to understand and describe markets and corporate financial behavior. In its place, the mathematics of growth and decline is developed anew, while holding to the realization that the decisions of organizations rely on the choices of real people with limited information available to them. The book will appeal to all students who wish to reappraise their knowledge of finance in a thoughtful manner. Specifically, this book is designed to appeal to anyone who wishes to refine their understanding of the nature of stock markets and financial growth, optimal portfolio allocation, option pricing, asset valuation, corporate financial behavior, and what it means to be ethical in our financial institutions."--

Stock Markets, Investments and Corporate Behavior examines the nature of stock market growth and decline, the function of financial markets, and their implications for commercial companies. Traditionally, finance academics have attempted to understand financial markets and commercial companies as physicists approach their subject matter: with a set of laws in mind that govern the field. But finance is not physics. The academic's approach falsely assumes that financial markets can be understood as systems within which self-interested maximizers behave in logical ways that are coordinated by the invisible hand of the price mechanism. This book demonstrates that finance is more appropriately understood as a field in which investors and finance managers may or may not use rational calculations as the basis of their decision making.This book opens with an effective dismantling of the traditional mathematical approach used to understand and describe markets and corporate financial behavior. In its place, the mathematics of growth and decline is developed anew, while holding to the realization that the decisions of organizations rely on the choices of real people with limited information available to them. The book will appeal to all students who wish to reappraise their knowledge of finance in a thoughtful manner. Specifically, this book is designed to appeal to anyone who wishes to refine their understanding of the nature of stock markets and financial growth, optimal portfolio allocation, option pricing, asset valuation, corporate financial behavior, and what it means to be ethical in our financial institutions.

This book examines the nature of the stock market and its implications for corporate management. It provides an introduction to core issues in finance and differs from traditional textbooks in its recognition that 'finance is not physics' — in the sense that how markets behave today is not necessarily how they will behave tomorrow. Nevertheless, a certain level of 'physics' can be recognized as underpinning the development of stock market valuations and corporate financial decision-making.In short, the objective of the text is to instill insight in regards to the functioning of markets and corporate behavior, as opposed to algebraic derivations from unrealistic assumptions. Rather than subscribe unthinkingly to an 'efficient market hypothesis', at each stage of the development of the text's conceptual framework, we also recognize the reality of market 'sentiment' and the fundamental uncertainty that managers face in their decisions.Based around a teaching programme with worked questions and solutions, Stock Markets and Corporate Finance is the perfect accompaniment for MBA, undergraduate and graduate students looking for a critical textbook on the nature of the financial sector and corporate finance.

'Stock-Market Psychology gives an excellent overview of the state-of-the-art literature on this subject in the fields of economics, psychology and finance. . . a comprehensive overview of the behavior of investors in the stock market. As such, this book is valuable for the classroom. . . Stock-Market Psychology provides researchers with numerous ideas for future research and readers with useful and fun tips without taking away our hopes of ever becoming rich from investing in stocks. What more is there to ask from a book?' - Joost M.E. Pennings, Journal of Economic Psychology 'George Goodman (Adam Smith) once wrote, "you can find out who you are by investing in the stock market, but it will be an expensive lesson". It is far smarter and cheaper to read Wärneryd's book instead. At a time when global stock markets are driven by emotions and passions, and are highly volatile, Chapter Six will tell you why, far better than a hundred analysts' reports.' - Shlomo Maital, TIM-Technion Institute of Management and the Samuel Neaman Institute for Advanced Studies in Science and Technology, Israel The rationale behind how people value and trade stocks is of unparalleled interest to governments, companies and other participants in stock markets. The book focuses on the way in which investors process information and form expectations about future gains. It argues that humans fall short of the perfect information processing required by theory, and that their expectations are based on more than just future company earnings.

"With foreword by Robert R. Prechter"--Cover. - "Minyanville"--Cover

In the current era of globalised financial markets, the stock market cannot be assessed solely by comparing quantitative features such as the number of listed companies or capitalisation on the stock exchange. This is of secondary importance from an investor's point of view. What is important, however, is how a given stock market behaves towards the environment – whether it is ‘hyperactive’ or ‘excessively lethargic’ in response to information. This book provides an innovative tool for assessing global stock markets. It describes the complex concept of ‘stock market development’ in light of classical and behavioural finance theories and considers both quantitative (the number of listed companies, turnover, etc.) and behavioural aspects (price volatility, the behaviour of fundamental indicators of listed companies). Based on an innovative method for assessing development, the author analyses 130 stock markets, indicating those that are more developed in terms of quantity and behaviour. Ultimately, this enables the assessment of which markets are more or less developed and why. This knowledge, used properly, offers an advantage over other financial market participants, and allows for the comprehensive assessment of individual stock markets, which can support the process of making good investment decisions. The book is an invaluable resource for research fellows and students in economics, particularly the field of finance. It is also addressed to business and stock market practitioners, such as financial market analysts, brokers and investment advisers.

Wolfgang Drobetz provides empirical evidence on the time variation of expected stock returns over the stages of the business cycle.

Advances in Pacific Basin Business, Economics and Finance (APBBEF) is a peer-reviewed series designed to focus on interdisciplinary research in finance, economics, and management among Pacific Rim countries.

For years, traders and investors have been using unproven assumptions about popular patterns such as breakouts, momentum, new highs, new lows, market breadth, put/call ratios and more without knowing if there is a statistical edge. Common wisdom holds that the stock markets are ever changing. But, as it turns out, common wisdom can be wrong. Offering a comprehensive look back at the way the markets have acted over the last two decades, How Markets Really Work: A Quantitative Guide to Stock Market Behavior, Second Edition shows that nothing has changed, that the markets behave the same way today as they have in years past, and that understanding this puts you in a prime position to profit. Written by two top financial experts and filled with charts and graphs that illustrate the market concepts they develop, the book takes a sometimes contrarian view of everything from market edges to historical volatility, and from volume to put/call ratio, giving you all that you need to truly understand how the markets function. Fully revised and updated, How Markets Really Work, Second Edition takes a level-headed, data-driven look at the markets to show how they function and how you can apply that information intelligently when making investment decisions.