From bestselling author Glen Arnold, this is a jargon-busting book that describes how financial markets work, where they are located and how they impact on everyday life. It assumes no specialised prior knowledge of finance theory and provides an authoritative and comprehensive run-down of the workings of the modern financial system.

Using real world examples from media such as the Financial Times, Arnold gives an international perspective on the financial markets with frequent comparisons in the workings of major financial centres such as the Bank of England and the City, the Federal Reserve System and Wall Street, the Japanese Central Bank, the European Central Bank and IMF and World Bank.

Glen Arnold is a businessman, investor and a professor of investment at Salford University. He’s the author of numerous finance and investing books including Corporate Financial Management, The Handbook of Corporate Finance, The Financial Times Guide to Investing and The Great Investors, all published by Financial Times-Prentice Hall.

Preface

Author's acknowledgments

Publisher's acknowledgements

Chapter 1 The purpose of financial markets

Chapter 2 An overview of the markets and institutions

Chapter 3 Banking: retail and corporate

Chapter 4 Investment banking

Chapter 5 Other types of banking

Chapter 6 Central banking

Chapter 7 Pooled investment funds

Chapter 8 Insurance

Chapter 9 Money markets

Chapter 10 Bond markets – governments and corporate

Chapter 11 Bond markets - the more exotic

Chapter 12 Equity markets

Chapter 13 Raising share capital

Chapter 14 Futures markets

Chapter 15 Options and swaps

Chapter 16 Foreign exchange markets

Chapter 17 Hedge funds and private equity

Chapter 18 Regulation of the financial sector

Chapter 19 The financial crisis

Index