Reading Minds and Markets

Minimizing Risk and Maximizing Returns in a Volatile Global Marketplace

Jack Ablin
Chief Investment Officer,
Harris Private Bank

with Suzanne McGee
Contributing Editor,
Barron’s

Vice President, Publisher: Tim Moore
Associate Publisher and Director of Marketing: Amy Neidlinger
Executive Editor: Jim Boyd
Editorial Assistants: Myesha Graham and Pamela Boland
Development Editor: Russ Hall
Operations Manager: Gina Kanouse
Senior Marketing Manager: Julie Phifer
Publicity Manager: Laura Czaja
Assistant Marketing Manager: Megan Colvin
Cover Designer: Roberto de Vicq de Cumptich
Managing Editor: Kristy Hart
Project Editor: Betsy Harris
Copy Editor: Keith Cline
Proofreader: Williams Woods Publishing Services
Senior Indexer: Cheryl Lenser
Compositor: Jake McFarland
Manufacturing Buyer: Dan Uhrig

© 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Publishing as FT Press
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458

This book is sold with the understanding that neither the author nor the publisher is engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional services or advice by publishing this book. Each individual situation is unique. Thus, if legal or financial advice or other expert assistance is required in a specific situation, the services of a competent professional should be sought to ensure that the situation has been evaluated carefully and appropriately. The author and the publisher disclaim any liability, loss, or risk resulting directly or indirectly, from the use or application of any of the contents of this book.

The views and opinions expressed in this book are those of the authors only and are not to be attributed to Harris N.A. or its parent company, Bank of Montreal, or any of their subsidiaries, affiliates, employees, directors or officers (collectively, “Harris”). Harris does not endorse or support the views or opinions set forth in this book. The authors alone are responsible for the accuracy and reliability of any performance numbers provided in this book. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. This book is not intended to constitute investment advice with respect to any particular security or basket of securities. Harris is not responsible in any manner for direct, indirect, special or consequential damages, howsoever caused, arising out of reliance on the information contained in this book.

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All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Printed in the United States of America

First Printing June 2009

ISBN-10: 0-13-235497-7

ISBN-13: 978-0-13-235497-4

Pearson Education LTD.
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The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data is on file.

I dedicate this book to LeeAnn, Elise, Emily, and Lynne Ablin.
—Jack

Contents

Chapter 1 The Year of Investing Dangerously

Chapter 2 The World of Global Macro

Chapter 3 Exploit Your Edge; Eliminate Your Weakness I—Beating the Street

Chapter 4 Exploit Your Edge; Eliminate Your Weakness II—Battling Yourself

Chapter 5 Identifying Metrics

Chapter 6 The Five Factors: Putting Data to Work

Chapter 7 The First Factor: Momentum—Befriending the Trend

Chapter 8 The Second Factor: The Economy—Headwind or Tailwind for Stocks?

Chapter 9 The Third Factor: Liquidity—Follow the Money

Chapter 10 The Fourth Factor: Psychology—Greed Versus Fear

Chapter 11 The Fifth Factor: Fundamentals and Valuation

Chapter 12 Putting It Together

Index

Acknowledgments

I would like to acknowledge the great effort and inspiration offered by my colleagues at Harris Private Bank, including Terry Jenkins, Graham Parsons, Brent Schutte, Jeffery Weniger, Jose Santillan, and Maria Garcia; the professionals at Ned Davis Research and Bloomberg; and my clients and professional associates who make this business a stimulating and rewarding experience.

—Jack Ablin

I owe a debt of gratitude to Jack Ablin for entrusting me with this project and for his patience as I worked to translate his ideas into prose—I hope the result does justice to his methodology. Thanks also to Jim Boyd at FT Press for his patience with the sometimes arduous process. Friends and family helped keep me sane; thanks in particular to Elizabeth Wine and Glenn Becker.

—Suzanne McGee

About the Authors

Jack Ablin is an Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer for Harris Private Bank in Chicago. With more than 25 years of experience in the investment business, Mr. Ablin was a mortgage-backed securities trader, a fund manager as well as a Director of Investments. He served in the Finance Department in the School of Management at Boston University and was the President of the Boston Security Analysts Society. Jack makes his home in Chicago with his wife, LeeAnn, and daughters, Elise and Emily.

Suzanne McGee has spent more than two decades writing about business and finance, including 13 years at the Wall Street Journal in Toronto, New York, and London. She is currently a contributing editor at Barron’s and a regular contributor to Institutional Investor. Her work has appeared in the Financial Times, INC, Art + Auction, and the New York Post. She is a recipient of both a Gerald Loeb Award and SABEW’s Best in Business Award. Suzanne lives in Brooklyn, where she is now at work on a book about Wall Street.

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