Derivatives Demystified

Derivatives are everywhere in the modern world and it is important for everyone in banking, investment and finance to have a good understanding of the subject. Derivatives Demystified provides a step-by-step guide to the subject, enabling the reader to have a solid, working understanding of key derivative products. Adopting a highly accessible approach, the author explains derivative products in straightforward terms and without the complex mathematics that underlie the subject, focusing on practical applications, case studies and examples of how the products are used to solve real-world problems. Derivatives Demystified follows a sequence that is designed to show that, although there are many applications of derivatives, there are only a small number of basic building blocks, namely forwards and futures, swaps and options. The book shows how each building block is applied to different markets and to the solution of various risk management and trading problems. This new edition will be fully revised to reflect the many changes the derivatives markets have seen over the last three years. New material will include a comprehensive history of derivatives, leading up to their use and abuse in the current credit crisis. It will also feature new chapters on regulation and control of derivatives, commodity derivatives, credit derivatives and structured products and new derivative markets including inflation linked and insurance linked products. Derivatives Demystified is essential reading for everyone who operates in the financial markets or within the corporate environment who requires a good understanding of these important financial instruments.

Derivatives are everywhere in the modern world and it is importantfor everyone in banking, investment and finance to have a goodunderstanding of the subject. Derivatives Demystifiedprovides a step-by-step guide to the subject, enabling the readerto have a solid, working understanding of key derivative products.Adopting a highly accessible approach, the author explainsderivative products in straightforward terms and without thecomplex mathematics that underlie the subject, focusing onpractical applications, case studies and examples of how theproducts are used to solve real-world problems. DerivativesDemystified follows a sequence that is designed to show thatalthough there are many applications of derivatives, there are onlya small number of basic building blocks, namely forwards andfutures, swaps and options. The book shows how each building blockis applied to different markets and to the solution of various riskmanagement and trading problems.This new edition will be fully revised to reflect the manychanges the derivatives markets have seen over the last threeyears. New material will include a comprehensive history ofderivatives, leading up to their use and abuse in the currentcredit crisis. It will also feature new chapters onregulation and control of derivatives, commodity derivativescredit derivatives and structured products and new derivativemarkets including inflation linked and insurance linkedproducts.Derivatives Demystified is essential reading for everyonewho operates in the financial markets or within the corporateenvironment who requires a good understanding of these importantfinancial instruments.