Customer Reviews

The Shadow Market: How a Group of Wealthy Nations and Powerful Investors Secretly Dominate the World

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4 star:		(1)
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2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I don't know what the negative reviewer is talking about. I just finished this book and it's not about what sovereign wealth funds are doing. It's about something much more important, what's REALLY happenng in the global economy. And it's really scary. Basically the U.S. is giving up power around the world to rich countries like China and the Middle East. The book's worth buying for the chapter on the Pentagon's economic war games alone. I only hope our leaders in Washington are reading this too.

If you feel like something is happening and you can't quite put your finger on it, then you may want to grab a copy of the Shadow Market. Mr Weiner does a great job of connecting the dots on a number of trends that are becoming increasingly obvious.

We all know that China has been growing at a superheated pace for nearly two decades, and that the United States has been living well beyond it's means as indicated by our massive budget defecits. Add the worst economic conditions since the great depression (for us) and voila, you have numbers moving so dramatically that the entire world economy is reshaping faster than our understanding of it.

This book is particualry timely, given the recent undulation in the currency markets and the dawning realization that oil needs to be priced in something other than $.

There is a massive shift in economic power underway. And, it will have consequences.

This book reads like a long newspaper article, in that is is packed with data and numbers in support of the premis. I'm sure the fact checkers worked a lot of overtime on this piece.

I think it is importasnt to note, this is not the same phenomenon we witnessed in the 80's, when a sclerotic US economy was deathly afraid of the Japanese economy and Micheal Keaton made a movie about it. Japan promptly went on to endure a 'lost decade' and the social consequeces of an aging population while our economy grew and prospered. History rhymes, but does not repeat itself. This is another phenomenon altogether: We are about to cede control of world finances from institions we know and understand (The G7, the IMF and The Federal Reserve) to insitutions and societies that are opaque, and sometimes even hostile to the United States.

To pretend this will not have consequences is absurd. But Weiner is the lone voice in the wilderness on this phenomenon! I found this book to be incredibly informative to my understanding of America and her place in the world.

As someone working for a hedge fund The Shadow Market is a revealing look into the state of NOW. The future is taking shape in the shadows and accomplished financial author Eric J. Weiner brings critical information to light. Like it or not the writing is on the wall. The Shadow Market will give you much food for thought. Take heed, some Mr. Weiner's potent insights might even lead you to your own riches!

This book was an eye-opener about the state of the global economy and where the U.S. is headed in the not-so-distant future. "The Shadow Market" discusses the role of sovereign wealth funds in areas all over the globe, from big players like China and various countries in the Middle East to more unassuming countries like Norway. The chapter on Libya and the Lockerbie bomber was astounding. Not one to often read books on economics or world politics, I found Weiner's narrative writing engaging, and he did a great job explaining complicated issues to a general audience. Whether you're already knowledgeable about global economics and politics or just looking to become more informed (and we all should!), this is a must-read and a book that definitely makes you think.

I found this book made it easy way to understand the frightening and real things that are happening in the world economy... and I am not remotely an expert in finance. This is a MUST read.

Many governments have a "sovereign wealth fund" (SWF) that they control. These multi-billion dollar cash accounts are mostly used for investing and tend to bring countries a lot of money in interest. The accounts can be used for financial warfare as Eric Weiner points out. It's a large enough threat that the U.S. government actually did a new type of war game in 2009 to simulate what would happen in situations where these SWFs were used for adversarial purposes. For instance, China is currently the owner of roughly 10% of the U.S. bonds that it bought with its SWF. If China wanted to devalue the U.S. Dollar all it would have to do is dump those bonds back into the market. This would have such a deleterious effect on the dollar that it would likely loose its status as a trusted worldwide currency. China's currency would quickly take its place.

This book was probably written with the American investor as the target audience. I've never owned a publicly traded stock in my life but nonetheless found Weiner's work engaging. The writing style was crisp and reminded me a bit of Jeremy Rifkin's non fiction. I believe this book will prove prophetic. If nothing else, it's the most entertaining book macroeconomics that I've ever read.

Accomplished author, Mr. Eric Weiner, in his new book Shadow Market paints a rich picture of financial globalization and the real issues of America's national security. He shows a detailed knowledge of the subject matter and his anecdotes help everyone understand these complex concepts through relatable stories. He brings to light the interconnectedness of today's market economy. The shifting of wealth from one geopolitical area to another is dictating world power. Everything he writes about is happening in real time, just turn on the news and listen with new informed ears. This is not a book to be left on the shelf but used for all those who want to understand what is really shaping our "free" market.

If you have a vague sense that China and other rising powers could eat America's lunch in the years to come - and that Wall Street companies are helping them - but you don't understand exactly how, Eric Weiner's book is for you. He breaks down the economic forces that favor China and the oil powers, and how U.S. spending and policies have encouraged them. The analysis is thorough, yet in plain language. After reading this book, you won't need a Master's degree in economics to see that the most remarkable conspiracies happen right in front of our eyes.

Congratulations, Eric, my friend - you've unveiled the key unseen forces at work in the global economy today!

This book should be better than it is.Its too rushed, it assumes too much prior knowledge.It also has a hint of the mainstream about it. There are praises for Robert Rubin for saving Mexico, when most of us by now already know Rubin is a criminal. Theres also quotes from fareed Zakaria, who we also know is runs with the CIA and is guilty of hiding more information than any of us can guess.But my real criticism of this book has nothing to do with politics, but with all of the questions the author leaves unanswered. If you already know all there is to know about international banking, foreign currency reserves, sovereign wealth funds etc, then this book will be too elementary for you. If you are trying to understand the above, then this book will leave you empty because it assumes you already know.There are many many examples of unanswered questions. One would be his description of the "Tequila Crisis' He says that as political instability increased in Mexico, sources of investment dried up,he then goes on to say that this uncertainty could effect global markets, but he doesn't say why. Sure we can make educated guesses, but the way he leaves it hanging out there makes for poor reading. There are other examples, numerous I should say.In the Ascent of Money Nial Ferguson made sure that no one was left behind, it made for a better book.I'm only a few chapters in and am frustrated. I'll stick with it for a while, but I'm not hopeful that the underlying problem will be resolved. An interesting concept, but not what I'm looking for.

Journalist Eric J. Weiner exposes the hidden, underreported group of countries and specialized national funds - "the shadow market" - that exerts a huge influence on global and American financial markets, and, indirectly, on US foreign policy. His interpretation of economic forces underpins his case that the US should prepare to play a diminished role in the global economy of the future. He does present a disturbing scenario: Massive public debt held by foreign entities renders the US vulnerable to economic and political manipulation. Weiner clearly believes the US's future will be very different from its past, but his sometimes hyperbolic tone gives the book a veering-on-xenophobic cast. Nonetheless, getAbstract considers his book an absorbing read for those interested in the new economic factors challenging America's position in the world.