Juggling with Knives
Smart Investing in the Coming Age of Volatility
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- $17.99
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- $17.99
Publisher Description
Stunning volatility is the new "fact of life" that defines our age. Financial markets fall off cliffs one day, but then stage a recovery the next, only to do it all over again. The switch back and forth is emotionally draining, making us susceptible to irrational responses that can turn manageable problems into huge personal crises. But while there is danger in volatility, there is also the opportunity to profitably juggle the knives that volatility throws your way -- with less risk than you might think.
The first step toward profiting from volatility is to understand why these radical ups and downs are taking place now. Jim Jubak's deep and broad-ranging analysis looks into not only the financial but also the economic, market, and social trends, showing how they reinforce each other, including:
the consequences of global central banks operating as cash machines,
a financial system that will not be reformed,
China as the world's largest game of three-card monte,
the aging of populations around the world and the resulting war between the young and old,
and the large bill we will have for the consequences of environmental externalities such as climate change and energy uncertainty.
Jubak analyzes these and other trends, providing practical insights and specific investing strategies that show investors how to respect -- but not be scared of -- market volatility, and how to make smarter investment decisions to profit from and hedge against it.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The current age is one of financial volatility and the rate at which markets are bottoming out and then rebounding is well above the norm, says market analyst Jubak. In fact, there have been four major volatility crises in 10 years: the Asian currency crisis of 1997, the Russian crisis of 1998, the dotcom bust of 2000, and the global financial crisis of 2007 2008. Jubak feels that our understanding of how this phenomenon works is still woefully inadequate. To determine how investors can survive volatility and even make it profitable, the book's first half covers the trends that brought about the current situation and all the reasons why we can expect the same for at least the next decade, touching upon the psychology of volatility and how people cope with it (in a word, poorly). The second half covers investing opportunities created by volatility and ways to improve traditional investment strategies, with the overall goal of avoiding panic. This fascinating study doesn't shy away from the complexity of our current economy, but it's written with the layperson in mind, resulting in an indispensable guide for anyone looking to navigate the storms with an intact portfolio.