The Power of Mobile Banking. How to Profit from the Revolution in Retail Financial Services

Why is it so hard to beat the market? How can you avoid getting caught in bubbles and crashes? You will find the answers in Carl Futia’s new book, The Art of Contrarian Trading. This book will teach you Futia’s novel method of contrarian trading from the ground up. In 16 chapters filled with facts and many historical examples Futia explains the principles and practice of contrarian trading. Discover the Edge which separates winning speculators from the losers. Find out how to apply the No Free Lunch principle to identify profitable trading methods. Learn about the wisdom and the follies of investment crowds – and how crowds are formed by information cascades that drive stock prices too high or too low relative to fair value. Discover the power of your Media Diary – and how to use it to spot these information cascades, measure the strength of the crowd’s beliefs, and decide when the crowd’s view is about to be proven wrong. You will watch Futia apply these principles of contrarian trading to navigate safely and profitably through the last 26 tumultuous years of roller coaster swings in the U.S. stock market – a time during which Futia kept his own media diary and developed his Grand Strategy of Contrarian Trading. See how this Grand Strategy worked during the Great Bull Market of 1982-2000. Watch the Contrarian Rebalancing technique in practice during the dot.com crash of 2000-2002. Find out when the Aggressive Contrarian Trader bought and sold during the bull market of 2002-2007. Read about the causes of the Panic of 2008 and ups and downs of contrarian trading during that dangerous time. Futia shows you how the market turning points during the 1982-2008 period were foreshadowed by magazine covers and newspaper headlines that astonishingly and consistently encouraged investors to do the wrong thing at the wrong time. By monitoring crowd beliefs revealed by news media headlines – and with the guidance provided by the many historical examples Futia provides – a trader or investor will be well-equipped to anticipate and profit from market turning points.

How individuals and communities can profit from local investing In the wake of the financial crisis, investors are faced with a stark choice: entrust their hard-earned dollars to the Wall Street casino, or settle for anemic interest rates on savings, bonds, and CDs. Meanwhile, small businesses are being starved for the credit and capital they need to grow. There's got to be a better way. In Locavesting: The Revolution in Local Investing and How to Profit from It, Amy Cortese takes us inside the local investing movement, where solutions to some of the nation's most pressing problems are taking shape. The idea is that, by investing in local businesses, rather than faceless conglomerates, investors can earn profits while building healthy, self-reliant communities. Introduces you to the ideas and pioneers behind the local investing movement Profiles the people and communities who are putting their money to work in their own backyards and taking control of their destinies Explores innovative investment strategies, from community capital and crowdfunding to local stock exchanges With confidence in Wall Street and the government badly shaken, Americans are looking for alternatives. Local investing offers a way to rebuild our nest eggs, communities, and, just perhaps, our country.

This book explores the future of the financial services industry, giving readers an idea of the kinds of institutions and services that will survive in the early twenty-first century. An informative and provocative exploration of the future of the financial services industry. Focuses on likely changes in the near future, such as greater use of the Internet for banking transactions and the increasing globalization of financial services. Points to the probable disappearance of the insurance sector as a separate industry. Describes changing conditions in key financial centres, especially the US, the UK, Germany, Japan and Switzerland.

How to analyze and understand investment opportunities in the resources market Investing in resource markets is quite different from other sectors–extreme cyclicality; very long cycles; huge corrections; continual mergers and acquisitions; and, huge capital needs. Written by industry pioneer Adrian Day, Investing in Resources: How to Profit from the Outsized Potential and Avoid the Outsized Risks details the factors that affect investing in resource markets, and how, if an investor understands those factors, the resource market can be a great place to realize very strong gains. The book: Explains the major factors driving resource prices higher, including new demand from China and the difficulty in finding new economic resources Discusses how the resource industry is changing, and addresses where we are in the «Super Cycle» Details how to profit by investing in base metals, gold, silver, and agriculture, while explaining the peculiar political, environmental, and social risks inherent in resource markets In recent years, deciding how to minimize the excessive risks of investing in resource markets has proven difficult for even the most experienced investors. Thanks to Investing in Resources, the task of how and where to invest in this lucrative market is made easier.

The rules of making money have changed-forever With the collapse of investment banks, trillion-dollar-plus government bailouts, and the Dow plunging like a rock, it's never been more important to understand-and actually profit from-the «new rules.» Fact is, Fiscal Hangover, will give you an investing blueprint that will allow you to profit from the changing global economy. For the first time in 200 years, American consumers are stepping down from their position as the driving force behind the world's economy. In Fiscal Hangover, Keith Fitz-Gerald analyzes the declining power of the American consumer and introduces you to the resulting investment opportunities. Without question, the American consumer and the United States government have provided the rest of the world with liquidity in the form of cheap capital and abundant debt. But in light of recent economic events, the rules of the game have changed and that means you must change with them-if you intend on securing your financial future. Unlike most of today's finance books that simply examine the end of the American Empire, Fiscal Hangover shows you how to prepare for the fall, effectively allocate your investments, and thrive in the new global economy. This book offers specific analysis and concrete actionable steps for individual investors interested in grabbing their fair share of what will be the greatest wealth creation in the history of mankind. Examines our current financial situation and offers practical investment advice to overcome the challenges you'll face Analyzes the declining power of the American consumer and introduces you to the resulting investment opportunities Details new investing benchmarks and discusses why the old ones no longer work Explores big picture economic issues that will affect your individual investment endeavors The coming years may hold the greatest investment opportunities of our times, but in order to take advantage of this you'll need the insights that can only be found in Fiscal Hangover.

Praise for Navigating the Financial Blogosphere «Navigating the Financial Blogosphere is the most enjoyable personal finance book I've ever read. I read it cover to cover within an afternoon, and I didn't want to put it down. It's fresh, practical, and broad in its topic coverage and should be on the top of every person's reading list. Russell Bailyn is a super-talented rising star.» -Matthew D. Hutcheson, Independent Pension Fiduciary, expert Congressional witness on retirement plan economics «Financial information on the Internet has exploded in volume; the challenge is to find what's useful and reliable. Russell Bailyn's book does an excellent job of presenting important personal finance topics in a clear and digestible form, and pointing readers to a wealth of high-quality sources on the Internet. Navigating the Financial Blogosphere is browsable, fun, and very useful.» -David Jackson, founder and CEO, SeekingAlpha.com «Russell Bailyn not only explains financial decision making, but like a good research librarian, he tells you where to go on the Web for more information. You'll want to be close to your computer as you read this book.» -Joseph Hurley, founder and CEO, Savingforcollege.com LLC

Go inside the research to see the global consequences of unethical banking The Next Revolution in our Credit-Driven Economy: The Advent of Financial Technology integrates market theory and practice to help investors identify growth opportunities, and to help regulators create a sustainable economic environment. Author Paul Schulte, former economic analyst with the National Security Council, draws upon his own decade-spanning research to demonstrate how unethical banking practices provide the brute force that drives political and economic crises worldwide. By unbundling how credit markets work, this authoritative guide provides deep insight into crisis avoidance and detection, successful investment climates, and the groundwork that must be in place for policy makers to build a sound basis for economic growth. Clear, succinct case studies provide examples of policy and its effects on economic stability, giving you a stronger understanding of the network of forces that determine how loan/deposit ratios behave around the world. Countries that lend more than they save consistently get into trouble, with catastrophic consequences for the rich and middle class as well as the politicians. This book shows how credit excesses bring about price collapse in stocks, currencies, and real estate, and provides direction for change in the context of global economics. Dive deep into the mechanisms underlying the credit markets Learn how unregulated borrowing leads to socioeconomic crises Examine real-world policy options through global case studies Discover how credit rises are best detected and avoided An economic climate in which even the smallest hiccup can have long-lasting consequences should be the ideal impetus for a close scrutiny of global banking practices and economic policy. The Next Revolution in our Credit-Driven Economy takes you behind the scenes for a new perspective, and a more informed look at where the world needs to begin changing. The second half of the book will take a look at the revolution driving financial technology. Companies in Silicon Valley and giants like Alibaba are challenging the landscape for banking. This has profound implications for policy makers, banks and for a new class of entrepreneurs who are developing software which is taking away market share from bank and challenging decades-old financial empires. The book will explore the reasons why many global banks remain flat-footed. It will go into detail about the new companies and software that are moving in the Far East and with innovations in securities, bonds, foreign exchange, retail lending and SME lending. Lastly the book will look at the strategy behind Alibaba and how it will challenge many companies from a powerful base inside China.

Connected Services is a must-read for telco strategists who need to get up to speed on how the world of software and the web 2. 0 works. Andreas Constantinou, Research Director, VisionMobile «This book is a must read for those charged with leading innovation in a world of connected services where telco and Internet collide.» – Jason Goecke, VP of Innovation, Voxeo Labs This book explains the common underlying technological themes that underpin the new era of connected services in a post Web 2.0 epoch In this book, the author explores the underlying technological themes that underpin the new era of connected services. Furthermore, it explains how the technologies work and what makes each of them significant, for example, the potential for finding new meaning in data in the world of BIG DATA platforms, often referred to as “No-SQL” databases. In addition, it tackles the newest areas of technology such as HTML5, Android, iOS, open source, mash-ups, cloud computing, real-time Web, augmented reality, and more. Finally, the book discusses the opportunities and challenges of a connected world where both machines and people communicate in a pervasive fashion, looking beyond the hype and promise of emerging categories of communication such as the “Internet of Things” and “Real-time Web” to show managers how to understand the potential of the enabling technologies and apply them for meaningful applications in their own world. Key Features: Explores the common and emergent underlying technological themes that underpin the new era of connected services Addresses the newest areas of Internet technology such as web and mobile 2.0, open source, mash-ups, cloud computing, web 3.0, augmented reality, and more Shows the reader how to understand the potential of the enabling technologies and apply them for meaningful applications in their own world Discusses new developments in the technological landscape such as Smartphone proliferation, maturation of Web 2.0, increased convergence between mobile networks and the Internet, and so forth Examines modern software paradigms like Software-as-as-Service (SaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) Explores in detail how Web start-ups really work and what telcos can do to adopt lean and agile methods This book will be an invaluable guide for technical designers and managers, project managers, product managers, CEOs etc. at mobile operators (O2, Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile, BT), fixed operators, converged operators and their contributory supplier networks (e.g. infrastructure providers). Internet providers (Google, Yahoo, Amazon, eBay, Apple, Facebook), analysts, product managers, developers, architects, consultants, technology investors, analysts, marketing directors, business development directors will also find this book of interest.

A fully updated follow-up to Peter Schiff's bestselling financial survival guide-Crash Proof, which described the economy as a house of cards on the verge of collapse, with over 80 pages of new material The economic and monetary disaster which seasoned prognosticator Peter Schiff predicted is no longer hypothetical-it is here today. And nobody understands what to do in this situation better than the man who saw it coming. For more than a decade, Schiff has not only observed the economy, but also helped his clients restructure their portfolios to reflect his outlook. What he sees today is a nation facing an economic storm brought on by growing federal, personal, and corporate debt; too little savings; and a declining dollar. Crash Proof 2.0 picks up right where the first edition-a bestselling book that predicted the current market mayhem-left off. This timely guide takes into account the dramatic economic shifts that are reshaping the world and provides you with the insights and information to navigate the dangerous terrain. Throughout the book, Schiff explains the factors that will affect your future financial stability and offers a specific three step plan to battle the current economic downturn. Discusses the measures you can take to protect yourself-as well as profit-during these difficult times Offers an insightful examination of the structural weaknesses underlying the economic meltdown Outlines a plan that will allow you to preserve wealth and protect the purchasing power of your savings Filled with in-depth insights and expert advice, Crash Proof 2.0 will help you survive and thrive during the coming years of economic uncertainty.

A timely guide to uncovering financial fraud 2008 and 2009 will be remembered for bear markets, a global credit crunch, and some of the largest investment scams ever. But these scams are nothing new, they've been repeated throughout history, and there will certainly be more to come. But the good news is fraudsters often follow the same basic playbook. Learn the playbook, and know how to ask the right questions, and financial fraud can be easy to detect and simple to avoid. In How to Smell a Rat, trusted financial expert Ken Fisher provides you with an inside's view on how to spot financial disasters before you become a part of them. Filled with in-depth insights and practical advice, this reliable resource takes an engaging look at recent and historic examples of fraudsters, how they operated, and how they can be easily avoided. Fisher also shows you the quick, identifiable features of financial frauds and arms you with the questions to ask when assessing a money manager. Prepares you to identify and avoid financials cams that could instantly destroy your wealth Contains examples that highlight how financial frauds are committed Provides questions everyone should ask before entering any investment endeavor With How to Smell a Rat as your guide, you'll learn how to protect your interests and assets from unnecessary losses.