Preface

Stock market operations are often compared to operations in gambling dens, and winning strategies are all supposed to be backed by Lady Luck. Investors are most often guided by the sentiments of faith and phobia. There are plenty of soothsayers/financial wizards offering advice and strategies to investors. However, rational investors like to play safe and manage their funds optimally. They need organised information, logical reasoning backed by scientific methods and techniques. Several academicians and practitioners have contributed new knowledge, enhancing our understanding of stock market behaviour. The present book is a humble attempt at presenting this accumulated knowledge.

The book will be useful to both academicians and practitioners, being a value addition to their knowledge. For students pursuing MBA, MCom, MFC and other professional courses, it can serve as a regular text.

This book is a comprehensive coverage of theory, tools and techniques relating to investments, focusing mainly on stock market instruments. Most of the illustrations are based on actual data. The methods of processing investment information are presented in a lucid manner through detailed illustrations and diagrams. The book explains the regulatory framework, theoretical expositions and practical applications of investment tools and techniques.

Writing this book has been an enriching experience in itself. We depended heavily on the contributions and writings of many authors and experts in giving shape to this work, and gained new knowledge. We express our sincere thanks and gratitude to all those who extended a helping hand in the completion of this book. Our main motivators are, of course, the publishers, Pearson Education (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. Special mention must be made of Mr. Sanjay K. Singh and Mr. Binu Abraham for their encouragement, patience and support. Ms Jagadambiga rendered admirable support in computerising the material.

Words fail to give expression to our feelings of happiness when we think of the Almighty whose benevolence and blessings led us to this effort.

M. RANGANATHAM
R. MADHUMATHI