Economics, Finance, and Business Books

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Book SynopsisPricing by Arbitrage.- Martingale Measures.- The First Fundamental Theorem.- Complete Markets.- Discrete-time American Options.- Continuous-Time Stochastic Calculus.- Continuous-Time European Options.- The American Put Option.- Bonds and Term Structure.- Consumption-Investment Strategies.- Measures of Risk.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews: "...This book is a valuable addition to a graduate student's reference collection. The number of textbooks in mathematical finance is increasing much faster than the number of revolutionary contributions to the field, but this text stands above the crowd." SIAM Review, December 2005 From the reviews of the second edition: "The book is very carefully formatted. … this book is a valuable addition to a graduate student’s reference collection. The number of textbooks in mathematical finance is increasing much faster than the number of revolutionary contributions to the field, but this text stands above the crowd." (Alexandre D’Aspremont, SIAM Reviews, December, 2005) "The emphasis of the first edition of this book was on developing the mathematical concepts for the rapidly expanding field of mathematical finance. This second edition contains a significant number of changes and additions … . The target audience is readers with sound mathematical background on elementary concepts from measure-theoretic probability … . It should be an equally valuable resource to practitioners interested in the mathematical tools … . will be a very useful addition to any scholarly library." (Theofanis Sapatinas, Journal of Applied Sciences, Vol. 32 (6), 2005) "The second edition adds new matieral from current active research areas. A new chapter on coherent risk measures for instance reflects the recent trend in research and applications in the area of risk management. In summary, this is an excellent textbook in mathematical finance, and I can definitely recommend it." (S. Peng, Short Book Reviews of the ISI, June 2006)Table of ContentsPricing by Arbitrage * Martingale Measures * The Fundamental Theorem of Asset Pricing * Complete Markets and Martingale Representation * Stopping Times and American Options * A Review of Continuous Time Stochastic Calculus * European Options in Continuous Time * The American Option * Bonds and Term Structure * Consumption-Investment Strategies *

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Book SynopsisMandelbrot is world famous for his creation of the new mathematics of fractal geometry. Yet few people know that his original field of applied research was in econometrics and financial models, applying ideas of scaling and self-similarity to arrays of data generated by financial analyses. This book brings together his original papers as well as many original chapters specifically written for this book.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews"Mandelbrot writes with economy and felicity, and he interperses the more mathematical sections with frank historical anecdotes ... All in all, this is a strange but wonderful book." (PHYSICS TODAY) Statistical Papers, 2000: "... this is a most useful collection of Mandelbrot's work economics, it provides an excellent starting point for anybody interested in the origin of many current topics in empirical finance or the distribution of income."Table of ContentsList of Chapters.- El Introduction (1996).- E2 Discontinuity and scaling: scope and likely limitations (1996).- E3 New methods in statistical economics (M 1963e).- E4 Sources of inspiration and historical background (1996).- E5 States of randomness from mild to wild, and concentration in the short, medium and long run (1996).- E6 Self-similarity and panorama of self-affinity (1996).- E7 Rank-size plots, Zipf’s law, and scaling (1996).- E8 Proportional growth with or without diffusion, and other explanations of scaling (1996). • Appendices (M 1964o, M 1974d).- E9 A case against the lognormal distribution (1996).- E10 L-stable model for the distribution of income (M 1960i). • Appendices (M 1963i, M 1963j).- E11 L-stability and multiplicative variation of income (M 1961e).- E12 Scaling distributions and income maximization (M 1962q).- E13 Industrial concentration and scaling (1996).- E14 The variation of certain speculative prices (M 1963b). • Appendices (Fama & Blume 1966, M 1972b, M 1982c).- E15 The variation of the price of cotton, wheat, and railroad stocks, and of some financial rates (M 1967j).- E16 Mandelbrot on price variation (Fama 1963).- E17 Comments by P. H. Cootner, E. Parzen & W. S. Morris (1960s), and responses (1996).- E18 Computation of the L-stable distributions (1996).- E19 Nonlinear forecasts, rational bubbles, and martingales (M 1966b).- E20 Limitations of efficiency and martingales (M 1971e).- E21 Self-affine variation in fractal time (M & Taylor 1967, M 1973c).- Cumulative Bibliography.

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Book SynopsisGetting Started.- The Normal Curve and Outlier Detection.- Accuracy and Inference.- Hypothesis Testing and Small Sample Sizes.- The Bootstrap.- A Fundamental Problem.- Robust Measures of Location.- Inferences About Robust Measures of Location.- Measures Of Association.- Robust Regression.- Alternative Strategies and Software.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews of the second edition:“It is a well-written and neatly organized book that introduces modern robust statistical methods … . the book not only a handbook for applied researchers who need to conduct reasonable and interpretable data analysis, but also a good textbook for non-statistics students and statistics undergraduate students. This is the only book on the subject written for this audience to my knowledge. … It provides insights and more methodological options in statistical analysis for students and applied researchers.”­­­ (Tian Siva Tian, Psychometrika, Vol. 76 (1), January, 2011)Table of ContentsPart One: Genesis of a Science*Derivation Curve*What Am I Holding*Least Squares*Quantifying Accuracy*Solving Bernoulli's Problem*Promoting Normality*Part II Exploiting Normality*Dealing with Small Samples Sizes*Correlation*Part Three: Dealing with Nonnormality*Revolution with a Whimper*Robust Methods*Bootstrap *Conclusion

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Book SynopsisContinuous Path Processes.- Continuous-Path Random Processes: Mathematical Prerequisites.- Basic Concepts and Examples in Finance.- Hitting Times: A Mix of Mathematics andFinance.- Complements on Brownian Motion.- Complements on Continuous Path Processes.- A Special Family of Diffusions: BesselProcesses.- Jump Processes.- Default Risk: An Enlargement of Filtration Approach.- Poisson Processes and Ruin Theory.- General Processes: Mathematical Facts.- Mixed Processes.- Lévy Processes.Trade Reviewconcepts of continuous-time finance … . This text presents an up-to-date account of the powerful interplay between the two areas, which is accessible yet mathematically rigorous. … This book is an accessible overview of the relevant sophisticated topics in the theory of processes, serves as an excellent guide through the literature and will doubtless become established as a standard work of reference for practitioners and researchers in the area of mathematical finance.” (Aleksandar Mijatović, Mathematical Reviews, Issue 2011 h)“Mathematical Methods for Financial Markets succeeds to be both an excellent finance textbook and an excellent maths textbook. … the work examined here is an excellent reading, going well beyond the Hull, that should be advised to all serious students in quantitative finance, and perhaps to a few colleagues who would want to enlarge their filtration about this topic. This is a prodigious encyclopaedia designed by the best authors in the field.” (Olivier Le Courtois, Revue de l'Association Française de Finance, Vol. 31 (1), 2010)Table of ContentsContinuous Path Processes.- Continuous-Path Random Processes: Mathematical Prerequisites.- Basic Concepts and Examples in Finance.- Hitting Times: A Mix of Mathematics and Finance.- Complements on Brownian Motion.- Complements on Continuous Path Processes.- A Special Family of Diffusions: Bessel Processes.- Jump Processes.- Default Risk: An Enlargement of Filtration Approach.- Poisson Processes and Ruin Theory.- General Processes: Mathematical Facts.- Mixed Processes.- Lévy Processes.

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Book SynopsisAlthough there are many books on mathematical finance, few deal with the statistical aspects of modern data analysis as applied to financial problems.Table of ContentsUnivariate Data Distributions.- Heavy Tail Distributions.- Dependence and Multivariate Data Exploration.- Parametric Regression.- Local and Nonparametric Regression.- Time Series Models.- Multivariate Time Series, Linear Systems and Kalman Filtering.- Nonlinear Time Series: Models and Simulation.- Appendices.- Indices.

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Book SynopsisCompletely revised and greatly expanded, the new edition of this text takes readers who have been exposed to only basic courses in analysis through the modern general theory of random processes and stochastic integrals as used by systems theorists, electronic engineers and, more recently, those working in quantitative and mathematical finance.Trade Review“As supplementary reading for a second course or as s comprehensive (!) resource for the general theory of processes aimed at Ph. D. students and scholars, this second edition will stay a valuable resource.” (René L. Schilling, Mathematical Reviews, October, 2016)“This is a fundamental book in modern stochastic calculus and its applications: rich contents, well structured material, comprehensive coverage of all significant results given with complete proofs and well illustrated by examples, carefully written text. Hence, there are more than enough reasons to strongly recommend the book to a wide audience. Among them, there are good and motivated graduate university students. … Also, the book is an excellent reference book.” (Jordan M. Stoyanov, zbMATH 1338.60001, 2016)Table of ContentsPart I: Measure Theoretic Probability.- Measure Integral.- Probabilities and Expectation.- Part II: Stochastic Processes.- Filtrations, Stopping Times and Stochastic Processes.- Martingales in Discrete Time.- Martingales in Continuous Time.- The Classification of Stopping Times.- The Progressive, Optional and Predicable -Algebras.- Part III: Stochastic Integration.- Processes of Finite Variation.- The Doob-Meyer Decomposition.- The Structure of Square Integrable Martingales.- Quadratic Variation and Semimartingales.- The Stochastic Integral.- Random Measures.- Part IV: Stochastic Differential Equations.- Ito's Differential Rule.- The Exponential Formula and Girsanov's Theorem.- Lipschitz Stochastic Differential Equations.- Markov Properties of SDEs.- Weak Solutions of SDEs.- Backward Stochastic Differential Equations.- Part V: Applications.- Control of a Single Jump.- Optimal Control of Drifts and Jump Rates.- Filtering. Part VI: Appendices.

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Book SynopsisChina''s Economic Development, 1950-2014: Fundamental Changes and Long-Term Prospects is a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of Chinese economic development from 1950-2014 focusing on current world-wide attention to the economic reform. Chu-yuan Cheng covers a wide range of topics, including the cultural effects and ideological influences on China''s economic development; the process of China''s transition from a planned to a market economy, leadership changes and the root of the Cultural Revolution; the machine-building industry and scientific and engineering manpower in China; China''s new development plans in the twenty-first century and the process and consequence of the Quiet Revolution; the international economic relations including the U.S.-China, Sino-Japanese economic relations and access to WTO; economic relations across the Taiwan Strait and the formation of the Greater China Economic Sphere; and the long-term development prospect of the Chinese economy in the twenty-firTrade ReviewFor novices of the Chinese economy, China's Economic Development, 1950-2104 by Professor Chu-yuan Cheng is an excellent introduction that provides sound direction for further studies. For experienced readers, this is a systematic overview of Chinese economic development based on meticulous analyses and insightful interpretations. In a sense, Professor Cheng's latest book is a comprehensive summary of his own works in Chinese economics during his long academic career. It may serve as a model for senior authors who wish to present their scholarship in a similarly reflective and responsible manner. -- Cho-Yee To, University of MichiganTable of ContentsI. Ideological Background (1) Culture Factors in the Modern Economic Growth of Four East Asian Countries (2) The Originality and Creativity of Sun Yat-sen’s Doctrine and Its Relevance to the Contemporary World (3) The Economic Thought of Mao Zedong II. Process of Development: (1) China’s Transition from a Planned to a Market Economy: New Breakthroughs and Hurdles (2) Economic Development in China since the CCP 12th Party Congress (3) China’s Economy after the CCP 14th Party Congress (4) China's Economic Policies after the CCP 16th National Congress: Agenda and Challenges (5) Chinese Society in Transition (6) Leadership Changes and Economics in China III. Basic Industry and Scientific Manpower (1) Machine-building Industry in Mainland China (2) Energy Resources (3) Scientific and Engineering Manpower in China IV. The New Development Plans: (1) China’s New Development Plans Strategy, Agenda and Prospects (2) China’s Quiet Revolution. Process and Consequences (3) China’s New Deal in the 21st Century: Building a Harmonious Society. Significance and Prospect V. International Economic Relations (1) The Future Prospect of US-China Economic Relations (2) Sino - Japanese Economic Relations: Interdependence and Conflict (3) Economic Implications of China’s Access to WTO: Opportunities and Challenges VI. Economic Relations across the Taiwan Straits: (1) Economic Relations across the Taiwan Strait: Progress, Effects and Prospects (2) Economic Development on both Sides of the Taiwan Straits -- New Trends for Convergence (3) Concept and Practice of a “Greater Chinese Common Market” VII. China's Economic Comprehensive Reforms and Long-term Prospects (1) China's Economic Development Toward the 21st Century and beyond (2) China’s New Comprehensive Reform: Programs, Progress, and Prospects

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Book SynopsisPatricia Crone reassesses one of the most widely accepted dogmas in contemporary accounts of the beginnings of Islam: the supposition that Mecca was a trading center. In addition, she seeks to elucidate sources on which we should reconstruct our picture of the birth of the new religion in Arabia.

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Book SynopsisThis book examines non-Gaussian distributions. It addresses the causes and consequences of non-normality and time dependency in both asset returns and option prices. The book is written for non-mathematicians who want to model financial market prices so the emphasis throughout is on practice. There are abundant empirical illustrations of the models and techniques described, many of which could be equally applied to other financial time series.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews: "Financial Modeling Under Non-Gaussian Distributions … is thus very welcome as it provides an accessible and easy-to-understand treatment of a broad range of topics, including core material to more advanced techniques on the subject of capturing non-Gaussian properties in the distributions of asset returns. … Financial Modeling Under Non-Gaussian Distributions is a very accessible textbook that covers a wide range of topics. … The authors define their target readers as specialized master and Ph.D. students, as well as financial industry practitioners." (Stephan Suess, Financial Markets and Portfolio Management, Vol. 22, 2008) "This book is written for non-mathematicians who want to model financial market prices. ... It targets practioners in the financial industry. It is suitable for use as core text for students in empirical finance, financial econometrics and financial derivatives. It is useful for mathematician who want to know more about their mathematical tools are applied in finance." (Klaus Ehemann, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1138 (16), 2008)Table of ContentsFinancial Markets and Financial Time Series.- Statistical Properties of Financial Market Data.- Functioning of Financial Markets and Theoretical Models for Returns.- Econometric Modeling of Asset Returns.- Modeling Volatility.- Modeling Higher Moments.- Modeling Correlation.- Extreme Value Theory.- Applications of Non-Gaussian Econometrics.- Risk Management and VaR.- Portfolio Allocation.- Option Pricing with Non-Gaussian Returns.- Fundamentals of Option Pricing.- Non-structural Option Pricing.- Structural Option Pricing.- Appendices on Option Pricing Mathematics.- Brownian Motion and Stochastic Calculus.- Martingale and Changing Measure.- Characteristic Functions and Fourier Transforms.- Jump Processes.- Lévy Processes.

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Book SynopsisDo you want to get a job in the asset management industry, analyzing stocks or managing portfolios? It is a highly competitive process, with not many available positions. How do you go about convincing a company to give you a job? This book, written by an experienced equity research analyst, will answer these questions and more.

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Book SynopsisThis is a book about the importance of information to the modern business and the right way to manage it. Done properly, Direct Computing will slash its technology costs and transform its ability to keep up in this virtual world.

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Book SynopsisThis book charts the turnaround of the Asda business, from the perspective of culture and people. The author discusses 7 principles which businesses can use as practical tools to generate high performance through engagement. This is a business book which uses the technique of story telling to stimulate the reader, and uses case study material to back up the learning. The reader will take away a practical agenda, to improve the performance of any business. It is thought provoking, simple and effective. If you want to engage your people and drive higher levels of performance, this book is for you.

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Book SynopsisThis textbook invites the reader to develop a holistic grounding in mathematical finance, where concepts and intuition play as important a role as powerful mathematical tools. Financial interactions are characterized by a vast amount of data and uncertainty; navigating the inherent dangers and hidden opportunities requires a keen understanding of what techniques to apply and when. By exploring the conceptual foundations of options pricing, the author equips readers to choose their tools with a critical eye and adapt to emerging challenges. Introducing the basics of gambles through realistic scenarios, the text goes on to build the core financial techniques of Puts, Calls, hedging, and arbitrage. Chapters on modeling and probability lead into the centerpiece: the Black–Scholes equation. Omitting the mechanics of solving Black–Scholes itself, the presentation instead focuses on an in-depth analysis of its derivation and solutions. Advanced topics that follow include the Greeks, American options, and embellishments. Throughout, the author presents topics in an engaging conversational style. “Intuition breaks” frequently prompt students to set aside mathematical details and think critically about the relevance of tools in context. Mathematics of Finance is ideal for undergraduates from a variety of backgrounds, including mathematics, economics, statistics, data science, and computer science. Students should have experience with the standard calculus sequence, as well as a familiarity with differential equations and probability. No financial expertise is assumed of student or instructor; in fact, the text’s deep connection to mathematical ideas makes it suitable for a math capstone course. A complete set of the author’s lecture videos is available on YouTube, providing a comprehensive supplementary resource for a course or independent study.Trade Review“This textbook provides excellent tools for a holistic understanding of mathematical finance, which combine intuitive common sense with financial and mathematical concepts. The book appeared as notes for undergraduates from a variety of backgrounds, from mathematics and computer science to economics and finance.” (Nikita Y. Ratanov, Mathematical Reviews, August, 2020)Table of Contents1. Preliminaries via Gambles.- 2. Options.- 3. Modeling.- 4. Some Probability.- 5. The Black–Scholes Equation.- 6. Solutions of Black–Scholes.- 7. Partial information: the Greeks.- 8. Sketching and the American Options.- 9. Embellishments.

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