Lords of Finance


Book Description

Argues that the stock market crash of 1929 and subsequent Depression occurred as a result of poor decisions on the part of four central bankers who jointly attempted to reconstruct international finance by reinstating the gold standard.




The Oxford Handbook of Banking and Financial History


Book Description

The financial crisis of 2008 aroused widespread interest in banking and financial history. In an attempt to better understand the magnitude of the shock, there was a demand for historical parallels. This volume provides the material for such a reflection by presenting the state of the art in banking and financial history. Contributions to this volume analyse banking and financial history in a long-term comparative perspective. Lessons drawn from these analyses may well help future generations of policy makers avoid a repeat of the financial turbulence that erupted in 2008.




Banking the World


Book Description

Experts report on the latest research on extending access to financial services to the 2.5 billion adults around the world who lack it. About 2.5 billion adults, just over half the world's adult population, lack bank accounts. If we are to realize the goal of extending banking and other financial services to this vast “unbanked” population, we need to consider not only such product innovations as microfinance and mobile banking but also issues of data accuracy, impact assessment, risk mitigation, technology adaptation, financial literacy, and local context. In Banking the World, experts take up these topics, reporting on new research that will guide both policy makers and scholars in a broader push to extend financial markets. The contributors consider such topics as the complexity of surveying people about their use of financial services; evidence of the impact of financial services on income; the occasional negative effects of financial services on poor households, including disincentives to work and overindebtedness; and tools for improving access such as nontraditional credit scores, financial incentives for banking, and identification technologies that can dramatically reduce loan default rates.




Mergers and Acquisitions in Banking and Finance


Book Description

This book is intended to lay out, in a clear and intuitive as well as comprehensive way, what we know - or think we know - about mergers and acquisitions in the financial services sector. It evaluates their underlying drivers, factual evidence as to whether or not the basic economic concepts and strategic precepts are correct. It looks closely at the managerial dimensions in terms of the efficacy of merger implementation, notably the merger integration process. The focus is on enhancing shareholder value creation and the execution of strategies for the successful management of mergers. It also has a strong public-policy component in this "special" industry where successes can pay dividends and failures can cause serious problems that reach well beyond the financial services industry itself. The financial services sector is about halfway through one of the most dramatic periods of restructuring ever undergone by a major global industry. The impact of the restructuring has carried well beyond shareholders of the firms and involved into the domain of regulation and public policy as well as global competitive performance and economic growth. Financial services are a center of gravity of economic restructuring activity. M&A transactions in the financial sector comprise a surprisingly large share of the value of merger activity worldwide -- including only deals valued in excess of $100 million, during the period 1985-2000 there were approximately 233,700 M&A transactions worldwide in all industries, for a total volume of $15.8 trillion. Of this total, there were 166,200 mergers in the financial services industry (49.7%), valued at $8.5 trillion (54%). In all of restructuring frenzy, the financial sector has probably had far more than its share of strategic transactions that have failed or performed far below potential because of mistakes in basic strategy or mistakes in post-merger integration. It has also had its share of rousing successes. This book considers the key managerial issues, focusing on M&A transactions as a key tool of business strategy - "doing the right thing" to augment shareholder value. But in addition, the degree of integration required and the historic development of integration capabilities on the part of the acquiring firm, disruptions in human resources and firm leadership, cultural issues, timeliness of decision-making and interface management have co-equal importance - "doing it right."




Investment Terms - Financial Education Is Your Best Investment


Book Description

Essential Investment Terms You Should Know Are you learning about investing? Then it's important that you learn and understand some basic investment terminology. If you are a new investor, you will likely encounter terms that you don't understand. It may seem overwhelming in the beginning but, like anything, once you become familiar with it, you realize there is no reason to be intimidated. This is an introduction to some of the more common investing terms that you may encounter. Every investment term is explained in detail, with clear and concise article style description and practical examples. Understand Investment Types There are various ways to invest your money, such as stocks, bonds, and property. You should have a clear understanding of each option to make the best decision for growing your money. Rest assured, this is not rocket science. In fact, you'll see that the most important principle on which to base your investment education is simply good common sense. The better you understand the information you receive, the more comfortable you will be with the course you've chosen. Don't worry if you can't understand the experts in the financial media right away. Much of what they say is jargon that is actually less complicated than it sounds. Make Your Investment Less of a Mystery Taking time to understand the vocabulary can help you with your investment plan, eliminating confusion, and get better prepared for a swift and smooth transaction, once you have made up your mind.




Banking and Financial Institutions


Book Description

A practical guide to the evolving world of banking and financial institutions Due to various factors, ranging from the global financial crisis that began in 2007 to new laws such as the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, banks and financial institutions have had to alter the way they operate. Understanding how these institutions function in the face of recent challenges is essential for anyone associated with them. That's why Professor Benton Gup has created Banking and Financial Institutions. Opening with a detailed discussion of the causes of the recent financial crisis, as well as a look at some lessons we can learn from it and other crises, this reliable resource quickly moves on to put modern banking in perspective. Filled with in-depth insights and expert advice, Banking and Financial Institutions examines the essential aspects of this discipline and shows you what it takes to make the most informed decisions possible, whether you're a bank director, investor, or borrower. Explains the economic role of financial intermediaries, including the financial institutions that bring borrowers and savers together Addresses how banks can hedge some of their interest rate and credit risks by using various types of derivatives contracts, options, and futures Analyzes the process of commercial and industrial (C&I) lending, from how banks make loans and the types of C&I loans to the role of collateral Allows you to evaluate a bank's financial statements and performance Explores payments systems, including cash, checks, credit cards, wire transfers, and other means of payment Rounding out this detailed banking guide is an informative chapter on Islamic banking written by Professor Mohamed Ariff of Bond University, as well as a chapter filled with tips for bank directors, borrowers, and investors contributed by John Harrison, the Superintendent of Banks, Alabama State Banking Department.




For God and Profit


Book Description

From Christianity's very beginning, it has had a difficult relationship with the world of money. Through developing sophisticated understandings of the nature and wealth-creating capacity of capital, Christian theologians, philosophers, and financiers exerted considerable influence upon the emergence and development of the international financial systems that helped unleash a revolution in the way the world thinks about and uses capital. In For God and Profit, Samuel Gregg underscores the different ways in which Christians have helped to develop the financial and banking systems that have helped millions escape poverty for hundreds of years. But he also provides a critical lens through which to assess the workings--and failures--of modern finance and banking. Far from being doomed to producing economic instability and periodic financial crises, Gregg illustrates that how Christian faith and reason can shape financial practices and banking institutions in ways that restore integrity to our troubled financial systems.




Empirical Finance for Finance and Banking


Book Description

Empirical Finance for Finance and Banking provides the student with a relatively non-technical guide to some of the key topics in finance where empirical methods play an important role Written for students taking Master’s degrees in finance and banking, it is also suitable for students and researchers in other areas, including economics. The first three introductory chapters outline the structure of the book and review econometric and statistical techniques, while the remaining chapters discuss various topics, including: portfolio theory and asset allocation, asset pricing and factor models, market efficiency, modelling and forecasting exchange and interest rates and Value at Risk. Understanding these topics and the methods covered will be helpful for students interested in working as analysts and researchers in financial institutions.




Encyclopedia of Banking and Finance


Book Description

Identifies and explains terms and concepts in banking, finance, economics, business, and investment




Handbook of Financial Intermediation and Banking


Book Description

The growth of financial intermediation research has yielded a host of questions that have pushed "design" issues to the fore even as the boundary between financial intermediation and corporate finance has blurred. This volume presents review articles on six major topics that are connected by information-theoretic tools and characterized by valuable perspectives and important questions for future research. Touching upon a wide range of issues pertaining to the designs of securities, institutions, trading mechanisms and markets, industry structure, and regulation, this volume will encourage bold new efforts to shape financial intermediaries in the future. * Original review articles offer valuable perspectives on research issues appearing in top journals * Twenty articles are grouped by six major topics, together defining the leading research edge of financial intermediation * Corporate finance researchers will find affinities in the tools, methods, and conclusions featured in these articles