Stock Index Futures & Options: The Ins and Outs of Trading Any Index, Anywhere (Wiley Trading) [Hardcover]

Susan Abbott Gidel (Author)

Book Description

Series: Wiley Trading | Publication Date: November 2, 1999

Praise for Stock Index Futures & Options "Everything you wanted to know about global stock indexes in one place." -Tom Basso CEO, Trendstat Capital Management "With twenty years of professional experience behind her, Susan Abbott Gidel is the perfect person to present this intricate overview of today's futures and options markets. Included is everything a beginner needs to know to understand the world of derivatives." -Robert R. Prechter Jr. President, Elliott Wave International

Editorial Reviews

Review

"With 20 years of professional experience behind her, Susan Abbott Gidel is the perfect person to present this intricate overview of today's futures and options markets. Included is everything a beginner needs to know to understand the world of derivatives."--(Robert R. Prechter, Jr., President, Elliot Wave International)

"Everything you wanted to know about global stock indexes in one place."--(Tom Basso CEO, Trendstat Capital Management)

"With 20 years of professional experience behind her, Susan Abbott Gidel is the perfect person to present this intricate overview of today's futures and options markets. Included is everything a beginner needs to know to understand the world of derivatives."--(Robert R. Prechter, Jr., President, Elliot Wave International)

"Everything you wanted to know about global stock indexes in one place."--(Tom Basso CEO, Trendstat Capital Management)

From the Inside Flap

Like so many other areas of the market, stock indexes-the compilations of many stocks such as the Standard & Poor's 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average-have traditionally been out of reach for the individual investor and small trader. But thanks to the recent creation of E-mini S&P 500 and Dow futures and options contracts, private investors and professional traders can now join the major players actively trading the most popular broad markets. Financial writer Susan Abbott Gidel provides a comprehensive overview of everything traders and investors need to know about the different types of stock indexes and how they are traded. Included here are all the essentials, with complete details on using stock index futures and options-including pricing, technical analysis, market indicators, circuit breakers, index expirations, and more. You'll learn how to formulate sound strategies that are tailored to individual trading philosophies, from minimizing risk by spreading one contract against another and diversifying stock holdings to capitalizing on the "January Effect" to make gains on rising small-cap stocks. You'll also see which individual stocks are the most influential in each index. Susan Gidel explains how the index you are trading is designed, calculated, and targeted for a particular type of investor. She focuses on broad-based stock indexes, including the NYSE Composite and Standard & Poor's 500 in the United States as well as a host of pan-European indexes and those representing stock markets in eleven North American, Asian, and European countries. Other U.S. markets she focuses on include large-, mid-, and small-cap indexes such as the DJIA and Russell 2000; and style and sector indexes, including the NASDAQ-100, the S&P 500 Growth and Value indexes, and the Internet Stock Index. She highlights more than forty accessible indexes available today on twenty U.S. and foreign exchanges, including the Chicago Board of Trade, Chicago Mercantile Exchange, London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange, Eurex, and the Singapore International Monetary Exchange. Stock Index Futures & Options provides you with the professional know-how and critical overview both individual investors and professional traders need to break into trading stock indexes on every major stock market in the world.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 254 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (November 2, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471295396
• ISBN-13: 978-0471295396
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,585,394 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Sub-title a bit misleading, March 26, 2001

By 

John Matott (Fernandina Beach, Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stock Index Futures & Options: The Ins and Outs of Trading Any Index, Anywhere (Wiley Trading) (Hardcover)

While the book contains much detailed information about the history, regulatory environment and composition of the world's index futures, it does not provide much practical information about the "ins & outs of trading" these contracts.

20 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything need to know about stock indexes worldwide!, July 19, 2000

By 

"djmos" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stock Index Futures & Options: The Ins and Outs of Trading Any Index, Anywhere (Wiley Trading) (Hardcover)

Whether you think a CAC is the sound your cat makes when coughing up a hairball or a stock index in France, if you're a new investor or an experienced trader this book is an excellent reference to stock indexes worldwide. Susan Abbott Gidel starts with a brief history of the index and futures markets. Followed by an explanation of what makes the market move, definition of the market "players", and strategies for investing in stock indexes and index futures.

The worldwide market indexes are summarized by region. Each index is individually defined in very readable layman's terms. Gidel explains what equities make up each index, how each one is calculated and how the index and index futures are traded. The book has a glossary and index that easily guide the reader through it's wealth of information making it easy to find an index comprised of stocks that suit your investment need.

I enjoyed the book and plan on making it a permanent part of my financial library. Consider this book an investment. Think of it as an essential tool for understanding equities markets and diversifying your portfolio. It is a reference you'll find yourself going back to again and again.