Macro Trading & Investment Strategies : Macroeconomic Arbitrage in Global Markets (Wiley Trading Advantage Series) [Hardcover]

Gabriel Burstein (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 8, 1999 | Series: Wiley Trading (Book 3)

Macro Trading and Investment Strategies is the first thorough examination of one of the most proficient and enigmatic trading strategies in use today - global macro. More importantly, it introduces an innovative strategy to this popular hedge fund investment style - global macroeconomic arbitrage.

In Macro Trading and Investment Strategies, Dr. Burstein presents, with examples, the framework for traditional global macro strategies, then shows how to use macroeconomic mispricings in global financial markets to design innovative global macroeconomic arbitrage strategies for trading and investing. Packed with revealing trading case studies, examples, explanations, and definitions, this comprehensive work covers:
* Global directional macro, long/short macro, and macroeconomic arbitrage trading and investment strategies
* Causes of macroeconomic mispricings in markets; tackling secondary macroeconomic variables in trades
* The importance of technical timing in macro arbitrage
* Volatility of macro arbitrage strategies versus volatility of relative-value strategies
* Mispricing opportunities due to the effect of the Asian crisis on global markets
* Macro arbitrage of the EMU convergence mispricing in equity markets
* Mispricings of retail sales, GDP, industrial production, interest rates, and exchange rates in stock markets

In-depth and timely, Macro Trading and Investment Strategies covers an area of intense interest to today's trading and investment community and shows new opportunities. It is invaluable reading for those seeking new ways to tackle today's volatile global markets.

Gabriel Burstein (London, UK) heads Specialized Equity Sales & Trading at Daiwa Europe Limited, where he set up the department to sell European equity products to hedge funds.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Some of the most successful and well-known hedge funds have long profited from a trading strategy that applies macroeconomic views to global markets: global macro. Pioneered by hedge fund managers such as George Soros and Julian Robertson, this strategy has led to enormous profits. By placing directional bets on liquid assets, it is particularly suited for trending markets. In Macro Trading and Investment Strategies: Macroeconomic Arbitrage in Global Markets, Gabriel Burstein defines and rigorously analyzes this investment style. He then proposes macro arbitrage as an original alternative to trading subjective macroeconomic views at times when markets are either trending or are extremely volatile, lacking direction, and in crisis, such as during the Asian, Russian, and Latin American economic and financial collapses of the late 1990s. Macro arbitrage is introduced as a new, lower-risk, long/short macro strategy that is based on detecting objective macroeconomic mispricings in global markets. Burstein shows how this trading strategy works in stock market sector spreads (food retailers/general retailers, banks/utilities), stock index spreads (Italy/Spain, Sweden/Finland), and with the European Monetary Union (EMU) ahead of its 1999 single-currency final stage. In Macro Trading and Investment Strategies, Burstein presents, with examples, the framework for traditional global macro strategies, then shows how to use macroeconomic mispricings in global financial markets to design innovative global macroeconomic arbitrage strategies for trading and investing. Packed with revealing trading case studies, examples, explanations, and definitions, this comprehensive work covers:
* Global directional macro, long/short macro, and macroeconomic arbitrage trading and investment strategies
* Causes of macroeconomic mispricings in markets; tackling secondary macroeconomic variables in trades
* The importance of technical timing in macro arbitrage
* Volatility of macro arbitrage strategies versus volatility of relative-value strategies
* Mispricing opportunities due to the effect of the Asian crisis on global markets
* Macro arbitrage of the EMU convergence mispricing in equity markets
* Mispricings of retail sales, GDP, industrial production, interest rates, and exchange rates in stock markets
In-depth and timely, Macro Trading and Investment Strategies covers an area of intense interest to today's trading and investment community and shows new opportunities. It is invaluable reading for those seeking new ways to tackle today's volatile global markets.

From the Back Cover

Some of the most successful and well-known hedge funds have long profited from a trading strategy that applies macroeconomic views to global markets: global macro. Pioneered by hedge fund managers such as George Soros and Julian Robertson, this strategy has led to enormous profits. By placing directional bets on liquid assets, it is particularly suited for trending markets.

In Macro Trading and Investment Strategies: Macroeconomic Arbitrage in Global Markets, Gabriel Burstein defines and rigorously analyzes this investment style. He then proposes macro arbitrage as an original alternative to trading subjective macroeconomic views at times when markets are either trending or are extremely volatile, lacking direction, and in crisis, such as during the Asian, Russian, and Latin American economic and financial collapses of the late 1990s. Macro arbitrage is introduced as a new, lower-risk, long/short macro strategy that is based on detecting objective macroeconomic mispricings in global markets. Burstein shows how this trading strategy works in stock market sector spreads (food retailers/general retailers, banks/utilities), stock index spreads (Italy/Spain, Sweden/Finland), and with the European Monetary Union (EMU) ahead of its 1999 single-currency final stage.

In Macro Trading and Investment Strategies, Burstein presents, with examples, the framework for traditional global macro strategies, then shows how to use macroeconomic mispricings in global financial markets to design innovative global macroeconomic arbitrage strategies for trading and investing.

Macro Trading and Investment Strategies is the first thorough examination of one of the most proficient and enigmatic trading strategies in use today-global-macro. More importantly, it introduces an innovative strategy to this popular hedge fund investment style-global macroeconomic arbitrage.

Dr. Burstein, an ex-Goldman Sachs macro proprietary trader who now heads a hedge funds-dedicated equity sales group at Daiwa Europe, proposes a new global macro strategy that is nondirectional and more objective. The classic global macro strategy utilizes macroeconomic information to anticipate market direction through subjective views. As a result, global macro has a strong subjective-directional component. Based on objective mispricings of macroeconomic information in stock market index and stock sector index spreads, a new long/short arbitrage strategy is presented here that capitalizes on the correction of objective macroeconomic mispricings. These macro arbitrage strategies are evaluated and tested in volatile markets such as the "domino effect" of the global financial crises of 1997-1998 that led to a hedge fund crisis. In fact, the book shows how global financial crises create strong macro arbitrage opportunities while also being a catalyst for correcting preexistent macro mispricings.

Macro Trading and Investment Strategies: Macroeconomic Arbitrage in Global Markets presents a new and compelling trading and investment strategy. Written in a clear and concise style, it includes definitions and carefully tested trading examples.Packed with revealing trading case studies, examples, explanations, and definitions, this comprehensive work covers:
* Global directional macro, long/short macro, and macroeconomic arbitrage trading and investment strategies
* Causes of macroeconomic mispricings in markets; tackling secondary macroeconomic variables in trades
* The importance of technical timing in macro arbitrage
* Volatility of macro arbitrage strategies versus volatility of relative-value strategies
* Mispricing opportunities due to the effect of the Asian crisis on global markets
* Macro arbitrage of the EMU convergence mispricing in equity markets
* Mispricings of retail sales, GDP, industrial production, interest rates, and exchange rates in stock markets

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 228 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (February 8, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471315869
• ISBN-13: 978-0471315865
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,126,534 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not advanced - not simple, April 12, 2004

By 

Brian S. Yelvington (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Macro Trading & Investment Strategies : Macroeconomic Arbitrage in Global Markets (Wiley Trading Advantage Series) (Hardcover)

I cannot be overly critical of this book merely due to my own preconceived notions of what it might be. I was expecting some sort of more hands-on version of Soros' "Alchemy". What I got was nothing of the kind. The trade examples are very simplistic and the book poorly constructed, laid out, and written. The entire work could be 2-3 chapters in normal prose and outline. The strategies discussed were somewhat advanced strategies that were described in an extremely simplistic manner. Somewhat akin to Sesame Street giving instructions on how to manage an options book. I was sorely disappointed as I know the author is capable of delivering a much more intriguing work.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Titles might be misleading by Tevfik Aksoy, February 13, 2000

By 

Dr. Tevfik AKSOY - See all my reviews

This review is from: Macro Trading & Investment Strategies : Macroeconomic Arbitrage in Global Markets (Wiley Trading Advantage Series) (Hardcover)

The book is based on ex post iteration of events and investment strategies, which lacks the necessary foundation of macroeconomic introduction. It requires extensive knowledge of macroeconomics and finance in order to grasp (or digest) what the ideas behind strategies are. Clearly not for a beginner but I would not recommend it for an experienced fund manager at all. I found most of the examples and strategies highly simple.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not really that good......., May 26, 2006

By 

D. P. McNulty (Shawnee Mission, KS) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Macro Trading & Investment Strategies : Macroeconomic Arbitrage in Global Markets (Wiley Trading Advantage Series) (Hardcover)

When I first saw this book and ordered it i was very excited to learn more about the intricies of macro trading. After reading about 1/2 of the book I could tell I just wasted $40. I found that the authors comparison of two different variables on 1 graph with 2 Y axis was statistically wrong. You cannot compare two different variables on absolute movement at all, espically when you are using two different scales on the same graph. Using this method of comparison sun-spots and the S&P500 have correlated. The correct way to do this is by comparing percentage movement of the two different variables. By doing this with my previos example there is no real correlation, jsut as one would think. I would assume that the same would occur for 1/2 of this books graphs.

All in all, buy, Market-Neutral Investing : Long/Short Hedge Fund Strategies by Joseph G. Nicholas, You'll apperciate it alot more and it isn't flawed like the book on this page!