Demystifying Exotic Products: Interest Rates, Equities and Foreign Exchange: 457 (The Wiley Finance Series) - Hardcover

Tan, Chia

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 047074815X ISBN 13: 9780470748152

Publisher: Wiley, 2009

Synopsis

In recent times, derivatives have been inaccurately labelled the financial weapons of mass destruction responsible for the worst financial crisis in recent history. Inherently complex and perilous for the ill-informed investment professional they can however also be gainfully harnessed.

This book is a practical guide to the complexities of exotic products written in simple terms based on the premise that derivatives are not homogenous, and not necessarily dangerous.

By exploring common themes behind the construction of various structured products in interest rates, equities and foreign exchange, and investigating the economic environment that promoted the explosive growth of these products, this book will help readers make sense of their relevance in this period of economic uncertainty. Subsequently, by explaining exotic products with simple mathematics, it will aid readers in understanding their potential use in certain investment strategies whilst having a firm control over risk.

Exotic products need not be inaccessible. By understanding the products available investors can make informed decisions ensuring features are consistent with their investment objectives and risk preferences. Author Chia Chiang Tan takes readers through the risks and rewards of each product, illustrating when products can damage investment strategies and how to avoid them, leading to suitable, profitable investments.

Ultimately, this book will provide practitioners with an understanding of derivatives, enabling them to determine for themselves which products will fit their investment strategy, and how to use them based on the economic environment and inherent risks.

About this title

About the Author

CHIA CHIANG TAN is currently a quantitative analyst in Global Markets at Deutsche Bank. Prior to this he has held positions at CIBC, Barclays Capital and Dresdner Kleinwort. His work has spanned a multitude of asset classes, including interest rates, equities and foreign exchange. In his various roles, he has seen first-hand how a myriad of derivatives solutions have emerged to satisfy client demands resulting from the prevailing economic environment, as well as how some of these purported solutions have at times gone badly wrong. Chia has an undergraduate degree in Mathematics from University College London and a Master of Mathematical Finance from the University of Toronto.

This book is a practical guide to the complexities of exotic products written in simple terms based on the premise that derivatives are not homogenous, and not necessarily dangerous.

By exploring common themes behind the construction of various structured products in interest rates, equities and foreign exchange, and investigating the economic environment that promoted the explosive growth of these products, this book will help readers make sense of their relevance in this period of economic uncertainty. Subsequently, by explaining exotic products with simple mathematics, it will aid readers in understanding their potential use in certain investment strategies whilst having a firm control over risk.

Exotic products need not be inaccessible. By understanding the products available investors can make informed decisions ensuring features are consistent with their investment objectives and risk preferences. Author Chia Chiang Tan takes readers through the risks and rewards of each product, illustrating when products can damage investment strategies and how to avoid them, leading to suitable, profitable investments.

Ultimately, this book will provide practitioners with an understanding of derivatives, enabling them to determine for themselves which products will fit their investment strategy, and how to use them based on the economic environment and inherent risks.

From the Inside Flap

“This book does a great job of explaining complex concepts associated with sophisticated derivatives and structured products in a clear and easy to understand way. In addition, it provides the reader with the necessary foundation to engineer a strategy which expresses a specific market view while taking into account the investor's appetite for risk. If you want to get a better understanding of how structured products can be used then read on.”

―Stéphane Arvanitis, Senior Vice President and Head of Derivative Strategies, ING Investment

“Chia takes a refreshingly unique approach by concentrating on how exotic products have arisen in the last decade to address investors’ risk-reward preferences. He explains the economic rationales behind various esoteric products, their key features, as well as situations in which clients have inadvertently found themselves more exposed than they thought … This book makes compelling reading for anyone interested in structured products. And if you happen to be studying the mathematics behind financial derivatives, why not have a look at why there is demand for them in the first place? It might give you a better perspective as to the products at the end of the assembly line.”

―Dr Alex Langnau, Global Head of Quantitative Analytics, Allianz Investment Management, and visiting scientist at the Ludwig-Maximilians University, Munich

Edition details

• Publisher: Wiley
• Publication date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 047074815X
• ISBN 13: 9780470748152
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 272