How to Read the Financial Pages [antikvár]

Preface Money is not complicated. The principles behind financial transactions are simple enough. It is usually the detail that confuses by obscuring the principles. The money world, like many others, develops its own practices and jargon, which are usually incomprehensible to the layman. Even an intelligent watcher of the financial scene is at a disadvantage. Sometimes the financial world likes to keep it that way, because an aura of mystique can enhance the value of its services. The financial press, at its best, attempts to bridge this comprehension gap, but it is often forced to satisfy two different markets. It is writing both for those in the money business and for the outsiders who like to follow the financial and economic scene and who, in their personal or business lives, have to choose among many financial services and investment products. A first-time reader of the Financial Times or the business pages of the national dailies or Sunday papers may still feel he is faced with a foreign language. The escalating popularity of the Intemet - covered for the first time in this edition - may help. Many of its financial pages are targeted very clearly at the general public. But even here, a little understanding of the basic investment principles can be a great advantage. This book sets out to explain the language of money. It does so by explaining the principles and practices behind the markets and financial institutions that deal with money and investments. Understand the principles, and the jargon falls quickly into place. The book consists of two main parts. The narrative chapters provide a guide to the workings of the financial system and its main components. This is suitable for the newcomer to the financial scene, though will also serve as an aide-mémoire for those with existing knowledge. At the end of the book comes a combined glossary and index, which either provides explanations of financial terms or