Customer Reviews

Being Right or Making Money

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"Being Right Or Making Money" is like getting a pro level college course on how to stay one step ahead of the stock and bond markets, and is destined to be a desktop companion for any serious investor, especially those whose foray into online trading has left them at a disadvantage after the post bubble and Enron days.

This is a place where many might have started, as it provides an excellent foundation for market analysis and the formation of a life time investing plan. The book's emphasis is not on how to make a fortune day trading, but rather it teaches investors how to make sense out of information that truly forecasts the future of the market.

There are several chapters on how to create asset allocation models in both bonds and stocks. And it is here that investors will find hidden jewels such as how to make sense out of contrarian opinion and how to analyze the stock market's momentum.

The book is written with a general audience in mind, and has great long term indicator charts that clearly illustrate how and when the indicators work, as well as the results of their buy and sell signals. Highly recommended for those who are truly serious about investing, and those who are looking for better forecasting tools...

This is easily one of the best books I've ever read on quantitative techniques for stock market analysis. The first two chapters (by Ned Davis) gives his view on what moves the markets. It's a treasure chest of ideas ... some old, but also a few new ones (at least to me).

The rest of the chapters are written by staff members of NDR. The book contains several timing models with historical performance. While some of the models rely on data not easily obtained, the breadth of ideas is impressive.

Highly recommended.

Words of wisdom and a common sense approach to profiting in the markets is what you'll get from this slice of Ned Davis Research. This is a revision to the 1991 edition that contains updated information and a take on the year 2000 bubble. Seven chapters of insight are packed into this coffee table-style book, with loads of color-coded charts and aphorisms. If you're looking to obtain a grasp of the common traits that have made the monsters of money management successful, this book is worth your while.

Maybe you've seen Ned Davis on CNBC or CNN; he's often quoted in Barron's and The Wall Street Journal; he's been in the business for over thirty years and has a lot to offer. He's also a good study of the old pros, such as George Soros and Peter Lynch. From them he has gathered four traits that are key to maintaining success. They are: Objectivity, Flexibility, Discipline and Risk Management. Hard to argue here.

With the four common traits of successful money managers as a base, the book brings the Ned Davis Research Group's insights and experience to the table. A dissection of what contributed to the stock market bubble of 2000 and a no-nonsense look into what is moving our economy right now are key features to this edition. The economy model building process and analyses of stock and bond market timing are also discussed in depth. Though the content-type is academic, I found the commentary to be refreshingly concise and practical.

According to Ned Davis, the business of speculating is largely psychological. Great quotes and facts about crowd psychology are influential for understanding the markets. As he states:

"In case we are being swept up by the crowd or in case our own reality becomes badly distorted, what we need is an unbiased, objective standard that will weigh the evidence and pass judgment devoid of emotionalism."

The overall composition of this book is tuned more for a position trader rather than a pure day trader. You won't find exercises to hone your entry skills, but the wisdom and market insight are like vitamins that will keep you focused and on-target for profits. No matter what your trading goals are, this book will keep you pointed in the right direction.

This book appears to have been originally published just before the NASDAQ crash in March of 2000. The copy that I purchased from Amazon.com appears to be a private re-publication of really first class quality by Ned Davis Reseach after the event. It was probably used as a presentation to clients and prospective clients to show the quality of his forecasting. Davis hit it right on the money. There is no doubt about that, and this book reflects his reasoning process before the event, unlike so many books written in hindsight.