The Bull Inside the Bear: Finding New Investment Opportunities in Today's Fast-Changing Financial Markets - Hardcover

Stein, Robert

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0470402202 ISBN 13: 9780470402207

Publisher: Wiley, 2009

Synopsis

The meltdown in the credit markets, the decline in housing prices, and the turmoil in the stock market has rocked the world of the everyday investor. The idea that home ownership and the stock market are the best long-term investments suddenly has been thrown into question. Bearish investment experts are touting historical research that suggests both real estate values and the stock market could stagnate for years to come, thus imperiling the retirement planning of millions of Americans. In The Bull Inside the Bear, investment manager and former Federal Reserve economist Rob Stein argues that the economy is entering uncharted water and investors need to actively manager their portfolios to take advantage of new opportunities and avoid risky sectors. No longer can investors simply rely on a "buy and hold" strategy. The key will be to stay nimble and be ready to increase stock holdings if the economy recovers strongly and be ready to substantially reduce stock holdings if the current problems continue to weigh down economic performance. Moreover, investors must be open to weighting their portfolios in favor of hot sectors depending on economic and financial market performance. Stein argues that it will take several years for the credit markets to stabilize following the crash of the Greenspan-driven credit expansion, which will make investing far more volatile and unpredictable than previously. But by adroitly moving in and out of exchange-traded funds, individual investors will be able to prosper in this new and challenging investment environment.

About this title

From the Inside Flap:

The meltdown in the credit markets, the decline in housing prices, and the turmoil in the stock market have rocked the world of the everyday investor. The idea that home ownership and a buy-and-hold stock market strategy are the best long-term investments has suddenly been thrown into question. With bearish investment experts touting historical research that suggests both real estate values and the stock market could stagnate for years to come, our financial future—including the retirement funds of millions of Americans—is in jeopardy.

In The Bull Inside the Bear, investment manager and former Federal Reserve economist Robert Stein believes the economy is entering uncharted waters and explains why investors need to actively manage their portfolios to take advantage of new opportunities and avoid risky sectors to limit losses. The key will be to stay nimble and be ready to rebalance your position as economic conditions change, while utilizing innovative products such as exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to diversify your portfolio.

Written in a straightforward and accessible style, this reliable resource opens with a detailed discussion of the economic lessons we can learn from recent decades. Stein looks at everything from gold in the 1970s through the tech bubble of the 1990s to the credit crisis of the present decade, and addresses the need to pay close attention to the warning signs of changing times. After becoming aware of the broader economic landscape, you'll discover how to make better investment choices—which means not following the crowd to an overbought market or sector, and not becoming wedded to your favorite investment strategy. You'll also learn to watch for key data points to make investment decisions, so you won't have to hastily react to every crisis and market blip.

Investing has become far more volatile and challenging than ever before following the implosion of the credit bubble, massive deleveraging of assets, and the global recession. However, this environment, and the impending inflation to follow, will create opportunities in areas such as equities, commodities, fixed-income, and currencies. Stein skillfully shows you how finding the bulls inside these bears can put you in a better position to make more informed investment decisions and benefit from the bubbles, bursts, and blips that will continue to occur in the years ahead.

Filled with practical advice that cannot be ignored, The Bull Inside the Bear will allow you to prosper in a new and challenging investment environment.

From the Back Cover:

Praise for THE BULL INSIDE THE BEAR

"As always, Rob's insights are on target and could be very useful as average Americans look at ways to navigate the market."—Rahm Emanuel, White House Chief of Staff

"Rob gets it. The market offers opportunities to those who seek them, not blithely ignore them. Rob guides you without once talking down to you, which is why I look up to him."—Neil Cavuto, Fox News

"Rob Stein and Steven Levitt (Freakonomics) are members of a very elite club: economists who can make otherwise dry topics wildly intriguing. That's why I have their books on my bookshelf and why you should buy this book. When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt."—Jon "Doctor J" Najarian, author of How I Trade Options

"Rob's experience has molded his ability to analyze the markets with the speed and decisiveness of a trader and the thoughtful overview of an economist. This is the perfect combination that you'll find with The Bull Inside the Bear."—Andrew B. Busch, Global FX Strategist, BMO Capital Markets

About this edition

• Publisher: Wiley
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0470402202
• ISBN 13: 9780470402207
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 224