Product Description
This new seventh edition provides a detailed and comprehensive survey of commodity markets throughout the world. It provides up to date and expanded information of physical and futures markets and is an essential reference for anyone operating in the commodity markets. The profile of each market is organized in a standard format showing full details of hours of trading, commission rates and margins and full contact details. Introductory articles provide an overview of changes in the marketplace and full detail on each commodity from aluminum to zinc. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Guide to World Commodity Markets : Physical, Futures and Opt
I feel this book is a valuable aid for the futures speculator but only when it comes to certain things. The first thing that comes to mind is the last section of the book "World Directory of Commodity markets".In this section a huge # of Commodity exchanges are listed with vital factssuch as: commodities traded, contract size, hours of the day the commodityis traded, and how to reach the exchange. Exchanges range from places likeBolsa Brasiliera de Futuros in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil to the Chicago Boardof Trade. This section is valuable and comprehensive. The first twosections of the book gave someinfo on individual commodities such asSugar and Silver but I did not find this information to be anythingexceptional or extremely usefull. I wish the last third of this book wassold by itself for a third of the price. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Houston Journal of International Law, published by University of Texas at Houston on September 22, 1998. The length of the article is 7154 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Who patrols the money? The regulation of off-exchange foreign currency options: Dunn v. Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
Author: Julie Baumgarten
Publication: Houston Journal of International Law (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 22, 1998
Publisher: University of Texas at Houston
Volume: 21Issue: 1Page: 151(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from African Review of Business and Technology, published by Alain Charles Publishing Ltd. on November 1, 2004. The length of the article is 583 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Robusta coffee prices see two-year lows.(Commodity Report)(London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange)
Publication: African Review of Business and Technology (Magazine/Journal)
Date: November 1, 2004
Publisher: Alain Charles Publishing Ltd.
Volume: 40Issue: 11Page: 8(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description

Don’t Miss out on Today’s Hottest Trading Arena: Commodity Options!

“The authors have written the definitive work on trading commodity options. Their in-depth knowledge of this subject is legendary among industry professionals and expert traders alike, and their ability to relay their knowledge through text, pictures, and the spoken word is unparalleled in our industry.”

—Lan Turner, CEO, Gecko Software, Inc.

“This book captures the realities of commodity option trading in a simple and easy- to-read presentation that will be beneficial for traders of all sizes and skill levels.”

—Chris Jarvis, CFA, CMT, Caprock Risk Management, LLC

“Even the most experienced investors often overlook the fact that options on futures are fundamentally different from options on stocks. This book fills that gap and sets the record straight with clear and concise descriptions that are easy to understand. Guaranteed to become a true source of value creation for anyone interested in trading commodity options.”

—Jeff Augen, author, The Volatility Edge in Options Trading

“Commodity Options arms readers with the strategies and tactics needed to take a more active approach to managing risk in today’s turbulent markets. The authors exhaustively break down every component of a commodity option to its lowest common denominator, making this book an essential piece of information for those looking to expand their trading tool box or further build on existing option strategies.”

—John Netto, Chief Investment Strategist, NetBlack Capital and author, One Shot—One Kill Trading

Investors worldwide are discovering the enormous opportunities available through commodity options trading. However, because commodities have differing underlying characteristics from equities, commodity ­options behave differently as well. In this book, two of the field’s most respected analysts present strategies built from the ground up for commodity options. Carley Garner and Paul Brittain begin with a quick primer on how commodity options work, how they evolved, and why conventional options strategies often fail in the commodity options markets. Next, using detailed examples based on their own extensive research, they show how to leverage the unique characteristics of commodity options in your own trades. You’ll walk through trades from “top to bottom,” master both long- and short-option approaches, and learn powerful strategies usually ignored in options books. For example, the authors introduce synthetic swing trading strategies that systematically reduce volatility from the market.

This book’s easy-to-use trading strategies are strategically employed by the author’s clients every day: With Commodity Options, you can work to put the odds in your favor, too!

• Why commodity options are different–and what it means to you
Understand key differences in the underlying assets and the logistics of market execution

• Systematically rewrite the odds in your favor
Four ways to make winning trades more likely–and losing trades less common

• When to trade short options–and how to manage the risk
Why careful option selling may improve your odds of success

• Master strategies designed for diverse market conditions
Combine long and short options to create the right strategy for any market opportunity

• Exploit short-lived trends through “synthetic” swing trading
Get the advantages of futures contracts without the volatility

Customer Reviews (11)

A New Classic In Futures Options!
I have read nearly every option book in print, studied option theory in doctoral asset pricing classes, and hold a Ph.D. in finance.My doctoral dissertation on slippage in the futures markets was sponsored by the Chicago Board of Trade and included analysis of the futures option markets.I am also actively involved in research in the options markets to this day in equities as well.As a researching professor of finance at the Graduate School of Business at the University of Puerto Rico I teach futures, Forex, and option trading in basic, intermediate and advanced derivative classes at the MBA and doctoral levels.Commodity Options is the best book I have ever seen on futures options far surpassing Lawrence G. McMillan's so called "classic" entitled Options as a Strategic Investment. The reason for this is that many option gurus like McMillan lack the experience in the trenches of Paul Brittain.In fact, the real genius of this book is the years of experience, some of it painful, that Mr. Brittain has accrued as a true industry insider and options operator.Some of the warnings about specific futures option positions are beyond the recognition of importance of beginners as Paul Brittain carefully outlines the unique environment of the futures markets, lower liquidity than equities for instance, that lead to problems in employing strategies commonly touted by futures option course, book, and newsletter writers more interested in a fast buck than true and proper education.Hence, if you are a beginner read this book at least five times and take extensive notes.

Not only do I recommend Paul's book but I also know that if you are serious about trading futures you would do well to subscribe to his futures option newsletter "The Optionologist" and should regularly attend Mr. Brittain's webinars at Commodity Trading School.

Prof. Scott Brown, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Finance, University of Puerto Rico
Author, The Worry Free Wealth Guide to Stock Market Investing: FREE BONUS: 7 Hours of Audios! (Volume 1)

Nothing new here
I agree with both of the dissenting (less than 5 star) reviewers.

This book really offers very little insight into trading the functional differences between underlying stocks and commodities.The examples in the book do use commodities for calculation purposes and this does give the reader some insight into planning trades. But no real substance arises in this book in regard to what the important differences are between trading options on stocks and commodities other than references to the probably more pervasive trading ranges of commodities. This can be summarized in one sentence.It does not take a whole book to make that point.

The vast majority of the material reviews option trading strategies using underlying commodities.In other words, other than using a lot of commodity-based examples, very little if any new information is presented in this book.Seasoned options traders will not gain any new perspectives.

I also agree with the interesting observation by the 1 star reviewer.The 5 star rave reviews have a suspicious similarity.

Misses the mark
A key reason for buying this book was to understand the difference of trading options on commodities as an underlying asset. In the introduction the authors explains that options on commodities are different than on stocks and therefore strategies that works on stocks might not work as well on commodities. I fully agree, and bought this book to learn more about these differences.

This book walks through a number of different option strategies (all used in the stock market), but fails to explain wherein the different lies between options for stocks or commodities. The authors also claims that selling naked put exposes you to unlimited risk, which is incorrect as a commodity (or stock) can not go lower than zero, so your risk is in fact limited.

If you are new to commodities and options this book is a good introduction to the subject. For more seasoned traders this book offers no new knowledge.

Great book! Worth it!
So far I love the in-depth explanations of different techniques; as a novice options trader, this really is an "options 101" handbook. Touche.

Excellent Read
This was the easiest and most organized book to read. Very informative and well written.I started this book thinking I would read it a little at time and ended up reading the entire book in one day. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (19)

Very weak effort
This is a really weak attempt to write on the topic and consequently, for the new trader - to understand trading. That is partly because the content is somewhat poorly organized and presented. I recommend Linda Raschke or Toby Crabel's books. They are both hedge fund managers, and trade for living. Their books and materials are almost out of print unless you see it on Ebay or Amazon.
But after reading this book I am rather confused as to how and when to use the disclosed trading techniques.

Great Book
This book is a great intro to commodities. please see my blog for an in depth review simekspeculation.blogspot

Beginners Guide
This an insightful book about the authors experience with commodity trades. For those who are clueless and watch Mad Money, I wouldn't recommend this book because it doesn't visualization. It's More of a general overview of the basics, it brings a good feeling for individual investors who are stumbling to make a decent decision.

Instead, go with Dona Kline, Kenneth Morris "WSJ: Guide to Understanding Money and Investing" or stick to the Dearborn PassTrack books. Also try Kaplan for continuous education, but don't rely on it too much.

For those who are seriously taking the securities exams, always prepare yourself for 110%, nothing less.

GO FOR IT !

Eveything you need, nothing you don't!
I've found that most financial books are either overly simplistic overviews that are rarely more informative than a pamphlet or are filled with arcane academic information that is not put into any useful/practical context. This book does a fantastic job bridging the gap. It begins with an excellent overview on how the markets work, then moves into practical strategies, with an emphasis on which indicators are likely to be most helpful. It's easy to read, in part due to the author's personal touch. Definitely not dry.
To call this book "largely pedestrian" is pompous and petty. If you're new to futures or at an intermediate trading level, do yourself a favor and buy this book!

a balanced introduction
If trading is about markets, psychology, technique, then this book is an excellent introduction to these areas. Beeing balanced and only 250 pages, the book does not cover the areas in much depth. This might be a positive or a negative according to what one wants. 5 stars because the book is easy to read and gives an excellent big picture view on trading. ... Read more

Product Description

“This book provides the type of information every trader needs to know and the type of information too many traders had to learn the hard and expensive way. Carley offers practical need-to-know, real-world trading tips that are lacking in many books on futures. It will help not only the novice trader, but seasoned veterans as well. This book will serve as a must-have reference in every trader’s library.”

--Phil Flynn, Vice President and Senior Market analyst at PFGBest Research, and a Fox Business Network contributor

“Refreshing–It’s nice to see a broker who has actually been exposed to the professional side of trading and who bridges that chasm between exchange floor trading and customer service. Carley takes the time to explain verbiage, not just throw buzz words around. A good educational read in my opinion.”

--Don Bright, Director, Bright Trading, LLC

“This book has the perfect name, the perfect message, and the necessary information for any beginning trader. Take this book home!”

--Glen Larson, President, Genesis Financial Technologies, Inc.

“As a 35-year veteran of the CME/CBOT trading floor, I can tell you…those who think they can begin trading commodities without knowing the less talked about topics that Carley discusses in A Trader’s First Book on Commodities are sadly mistaken. Anyone who trades their own account, or would like to, should read this book.”

--Danny Riley, DT Trading

The Simple, Practical, 100% Useful How-To Guide for New Commodities Traders

You can make large profits by trading commodities--but you’ll need significant practical knowledge of the associated risks and market characteristics before you start. That’s where this book comes in. You won’t find boring theory or bewilderingly complex trading strategies here. You will find specific guidance on accessing commodity markets cost-effectively, avoiding common beginners’ mistakes, and improving the odds of successful, profitable trades.

Drawing on her extensive experience teaching traders, Garner shows how to calculate profit, loss, and risk in commodities, and choose the best brokerage firm, service level, data sources, and market access for your needs.

Garner demystifies the industry’s colorful language, helps you clearly understand what you’re buying and selling, and walks you through the entire trading process. She concludes with a refreshingly new look at topics such as trading plans, handling margin calls, and even maintaining emotional stability as a trader.

Know the players, know the language, know the techniques

Master the basics painlessly and avoid beginner’s mistakes

Choose the right brokerages, services, trading platforms, and tools

Get what you need; don’t pay for what you don’t need

Make sense of confusing commodities quotes

Know what you’re buying, what it costs, the returns you’re earning, and the risk you’re taking

Build a flexible trading plan that works

Predict price, manage risk, and make trades that reflect your analysis

Customer Reviews (46)

Misspelled words(pg47) and simple math errors(pg41)
According to Carley Garner 50,000/5,000= 5,000 (located on top right of page 41!) I let that slide UNTIL I read the misspelled word: "technilogical" (pg 47 3rd paragraph) it's techno not techni! This was an absurd error and the proof readers should have caught this. Reading financial books with these mistakes makes me feel uneducated and illiterate.

In addition to that, I've been trading S&P Futures for 6 years, and I wanted to find an easy way to explain the nature of my job to my wife; hoping I would get some ideas- no success yet. This scratch draft has no new illustrations or metaphors I haven't tried to use.

My personal opinion is that Carley Garner is a woman in a man run financial world. I'll leave it at that.

Great first book, or second, or third... Just buy it and read if, if you're new to commodities, futures, & options...
I paid retail, minus 20% for Member Card, at B&N as I found this book and started reading it in store. This book explained what I wasn't finding in my other books. Now, I'll buy her other book about Options -- that's how good I think it is.

Good starter book.
Not a whole lot else out there like this one -- and probably a better place to start than Jim Rodger's books. Commodities are something you should pay special attention to in this market as it is where the majority of gains have been made thanks to China, Brazil, and India rapid development. this will get you off on the right foot and then you can start doing your own research and building up an entire bookshelf on the individual resources.

Excellent Commodities Primer!
Commodity trading is a high risk game and the more information you have, the better prepared you are to play the game.Carley Garner does a great job of introducing this market to investors who are new to it and want to have more information about how the markets work.

Best of all, the book is written by someone who actually trades commodities for a living versus an academic.I work in the financial services industry and too often books about finance are written by those in academia whose intent is to impress, not inform.This book is written in easy-to-understand words that are truly designed to help you understand at whatever level of investor you may be.

If you are interested in learning more about this speculative form of investing, this is a great place to start.

Good First Book on Commodities but not for Traders
"A Trader's First Book on Commodities" is an overarching introduction to the US commodities futures market.Everything from contract size and pricing to choosing a broker is covered.Unfortunately the author covers each topic in such poor depth that I would only recommend this book to someone completely unfamiliar with commodities and futures contracts.

I approached the book expecting to be firmly within the target audience, given the title.However any trader, even one without experience in commodities, would find little of value in this book.Furthermore, I cannot imagine this book helping anyone make money trading commdities.The author makes no attempt to discuss research, data, analytics, mathematics, stochastics, etc.Some of the 'facts' brought up are even dismissed by the author as mere guesses.For example, the author mentions that the top 20% of brokers bring in 80% of the commissions, with the caveat that this estimation has absolutey no basis.Isn't it the role of the author to do research and present information that is both relevant and accurate?

On the positive side, the book is exceedingly approachable.The author makes a great effort to organize the book sensibly and to spell out every detail.I've seen similar books that gloss over too much terminology and get bogged down in too many ill-conceived attempts at explaining the technical aspects of trading."A Trader's First Book on Commodities" proves a quick and easy read.I imagine it could be a great introduction into the world of commodities or finance in general for the completely uninitiated.Still, the shallow depth (even for an introductory text) is a major negative.

As the price is much lower than the more substantial textbooks I've read, I would recommend this book to those interested in the idea of investing in commodities but unsure what that entails.However, for those serious about investing or with some background in finance, I would suggest looking for a book that offers more technical knowledge and provides serious research and complete examination of individual markets. ... Read more

Product Description
Reflecting on the agricultural future options markets as the stable road through the often times volatile world economy, this important guide provides a basic but functional treatment of futures/options in price risk management for agricultural commodities,fully supporting material with actual data analyses to demonstrate and illustrate concepts. Offers an integrated treatment of fundamental and technical analyses of the markets, and provides extensive treatment of fundamental demand/supply analysis with data-rich examples and illustrations. Presents full coverage of technical analysis, using actual charts and prices to demonstrate concepts, and discusses the bar chart as guides to management decisions. Emphasizes interest rate, stock index, and currency futures as important to the agribusiness and multinational firm, providing a detailed study of these dimensions and sources of risk. Now updates all data-driven illustrations and examples and offers extended content, coverage, and sophistication to treatment on options. ... Read more

Product Description
In todayÂ’s changing political and economic environment, it is increasingly important that companies learn to properly use various trading instruments to protect themselves against price volatility. Since the first successful energy futures contract was introduced almost a quarter century ago, trading in energy futures and options has played an important role in hedging against fluctuations in the price of petroleum products, crude oil, natural gas, propane, electricity, and most recently, coal.

In this 2nd edition of their best-selling primer, authors Steven Errera and Stewart L. Brown explain how exchange traded futures and options markets work, and how companies can successfully use the markets in their overall strategy to increase profitability. They cover everything from market mechanics, hedging, spread trading, and technical trading to the history and growth of the markets. Also included in an extensive appendix detailing contract specifications for thirteen energy futures/options contracts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Great tool for people starting out in futures and options
I recently gave this book to a new college grad who was interested in trading futures.I have worked on the floor of NYMEX for over 11 years trading energy futures and believe this is a great tool for understanding trading basics.
Kevin P Kelly
[...]

Excellent Primer for understanding energy commodity trading.
I have been teaching an Energy Management course for the last (10) years at two different 4-year universities. For the first few years, there was very little in the way of a textbook choice. When I researched for a new book (5) years ago, I was very pleased to find this book. While admittedly an expert crude oiltrader, Errera does a great job of explaining natural gas trading as well. He touches on all the necessary basics from the underlying commodities to financial derivatives to technical analysis. No where does the reader get lost and the illustrations are a great aid. While it is a mandatory textbook for my class, I have recommended it to several others who wish to learn the basics of energy trading. If you wish to understand, on some level, the sky-rocketing energy prices that occurred in 2008,a grasp of commodity trading is essential.

Save Your Money!
I thought this book would cover trading strategies unique to the energy futures markets.NOT!!It is a book filled with a lot of option strategies and technical analysis that could apply to any publicly traded equity.It contains nothing unique to futures or energy futures for that matter.Anything unique about the energy markets referred to in this book could be condensed in two or three pages. When the seller only lets you see the front cover, -- buyer beware.Save your money.

Great book if you know nothing about futures, skip if otherwise
This is a great book. It's well written and easy to read. However, there is very little here in terms of specifics to energy per se. The book spends a lot of time describing basic futures and options concepts. Still, if you're new to finance and want an introduction to the energy markets, this book is for you. Especially valuable was the appendix at the end of the book which summarizes various popular different energy future contracts.

Well Written
The concepts and trading strategies of futures and options are well explained in plain English. Unfortunately, the author only scatterly discussed some characteristics of the energy industry. To be a successful trader in the energy futures market, you must be an expert in the industry first. However, this might be beyond the scope of the book. ... Read more

Product Description
Producers use these agricultural derivatives to protect against price risk; speculators are more than willing to assume those risks, hoping that price movements on the underlying products will translate into healthy trading profits for themselves.AGRICULTURAL FUTURES AND OPTIONS will give you a broader understanding of all sides of this tremendously complex yet important market. You will:Learn how to structure profitable trades for options on agricultural futures; Get inside hints for trading Euro-Differential contracts on the New York exchanges; Discover invaluable comparisons of the similarities and differences between trading in Chicago, London, and New York; Find complete industry regulations in both the United States and United Kingdom. Screen-based versus open-outcry trading...the unstable political climate in Eastern Europe...challenges presented by the globalization of communications...increased sophistication and utility of computer programs. Traders in agricultural futures and options must stay in touch with the experts to stay on top of the latest risk-protection trends and developments. Whether you trade for risk-hedging insurance or speculative profit, AGRICULTURAL FUTURES AND OPTIONS will help you make the most of your F&O investment in today's fast-moving markets. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good book for the novice
This book gives a great overview of the agricultural commodities markets of the world.It covers how the futures markets work, why they came into existence, and how they can be used to manage risk.The first six chapters are the most useful for the majority of readers; they focus mostly on the corn, soybeans, and wheat futures exchanges in the midwest United States.Several later chapters cover European exchanges and minor world exchanges.Don't expect to become a trader after reading this book, but it's a great place to get started learning about agricultural futures and options. ... Read more

Product Description
Updated and revised to include a decade of growth in the scope and complexity of options, Options Strategies: Profit-Making Techniques for Stock, Stock Index, and Commodity Options, 3rd Edition is a comprehensive guide to options trading strategies written in clear, non-technical language. In addition to insight into options issues like carrying changes, strike prices, commissions, interest rates, and break-even points, new chapters show how to predict the direction of implied volatility. Accessible examples, charts, and graphs will help you obtain the information you need to succeed in the high-risk, high-profit world of options. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Independent Trader
As a person who has always found option strategies to be quite confusing, this book is a god-send! Mr. Smith's book is the only options strategy book that I've ever read that gives a concise and clear decision tree on what strategy to use in what market conditions.Anyone who is a serious options trader and wants to be profitable needs this book in their library!

Poorly edited mess
This book contains absolutely no information on how to judge whether a particular option is over- or under-priced, or how to arrive at either a bullish or bearish outlook.The idea is that you have already come to some conclusion and then you consult the book to determine how you should play the option.That would be fine if the book did not contain numerous errors, all due to the fact that this book apparently was not proof-read.For example, if your outlook is bullish, you find the strategy for putting on a call spread, and select the type of spread you want to do.The author then copied the same instructions into the section on bear spreads, and then tried to change all the "calls" to "puts" or the "buys" to "sells."Of course, he missed many such changes, and there are multiple instances where the word "call" appears where it should read "put," and where "buy" appears when it should be "sell."If you buy this book, you will have to make your own corrections in it, or you may follow the instructions right into the poorhouse.I consider the money I spent on this book to be wasted.

Hard to read textbook
The bad news: This is a classic textbook that requires all your attention and more.Even an experienced option trader can get lost easily. The good news: It is a comprehensive guide and reference book which I use oncea week to help me choose the right move.

The fundamentals of Option Strategy
Option Strategies is an excellent intermediate treatise on option trading. While it doesn't go deeply into option pricing and implied volatility, its focus on strategy and decision structure serves the readerwell. Almostevery major position type, from the basic buys and writes to the morecomplex, such as ratio spreads and butterflies are covered. Each positionis dissected in detail, with emphasis on how to deal with adverse andpositive price impacts.

In the pantheon of trading tomes, CourtneySmith's work should appeal to those looking for a sound foundation inoption strategy. It is one place where a trader can look at any idea andfigure out which type of play offers the best risk/reward alternatives. Asolid non-technical book. ... Read more

Product Description
Fundamentals of Futures and Options Markets presents an accessible and student-friendly overview of the topic without the use of calculus.   Introduction; Mechanics of Futures and Forward Markets; Hedging Strategies Using Futures; Interest Rates; Determination of Forward and Futures Prices; Interest Rate Futures; Swaps; Securitization and the Credit Crisis of 2007; Mechanics of Options Markets; Properties of Stock Options; Trading Strategies Involving Options; Introduction to Binomial Trees; Valuing Stock Options: The Black-Scholes-Merton Model; Employee Stock Options; Options on Stock Indices and Currencies; Futures Options; The Greek Letters; Binomial Trees in Practice; Volatility Smiles; Value at Risk; Interest-Rate Options; Exotic Options and Other Non-Standard Instruments; Credit Derivatives; Insurance, Weather, Energy, and Credit Derivatives; Derivatives Disasters and What We Can Learn From Them.   For practitioners who want to improve their understanding of futures and options markets.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Fundamentals of Futures and Options Markets (6th International Edition)
The book I bought from this seller misses pages 1-61. At the time I bought it, there was no such information. The only information mentioned was that there are several copies available and the best one will be shipped. I contacted the seller for refund and he vehemently denied the lack of information and refused to refund my money, instead he said the reason why he sold it cheap was because of the missing pages, he does NOT have any refund policy. Each of his items is sold "as it". I will never buy from him again.

Great book but need to buy the study guide
This book does a great job at clearly teaching the basics of forwards/futures and options markets.While there are a handful of summary questions at the end of each chapter that have answers in the back of the book, the overwhelming majority of answers to the end of chapter practice problems are not.In order to use this book properly and get the most out of it, the study guide is a necessity.Other than that, it's a great textbook.

it's a little bit expensive
the book is OK, however, it is a little bit expensive. And the price changed after I bought the book a few days later.

Used for FIN 4763
Even though my professor didn't use the book as much as I expected, the content of this one were merely boring lectures explained the reason why my school changed the book after this semester.

why are we still playing these games in 2007?
By games I mean the fact that the answers to about a third of the questions are found in a solutions manual that, last time I looked (in early Sept '07), was unavailable for purchase. The answers to another third of the questions are not to be found anywhere. The answers to the last third of the questions are in the book--but these questions are not very interesting or challenging. Why must we play this game? Why not just put all the answers in the back of the book? (I know, I know: it's all about the money, etc. But still . . .)

As for the content of the book, I'm told that this isn't Hull's authoritative book (that would be 'Options, Futures, and Other Derivatives'). I feel like a sucker for having bought it. Is it good to make your customer's feel like suckers, Mr. Hull? ... Read more

Product Description
This introduction to futures and options markets is ideal for those with limited background in mathematics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Must have for anyone interested on Derivatives
I really must thank John Hull for this book. The way every topic is covered gives you basic knowledge to enter the depths that await you regarding futures, options and other derivatives. The book is so masterfully written that the approach to every topic is very fluid. Once you've covered the book, you are ready to go on with a more complicated book, including Hull's "Options, Futures, and Other Derivatives" which has a more anylitical approach than this introductory book. The examples are the easiest ones and you can understand everything so clearly I wish there were more books like this.

The best nontechnical introduction book on Derivtatives
Hull wrote a classic book for the introduction to futures and optionsmarkets. It's for the serious reader who doesn't want to all the deviationsand basics of option pricings. If, after reading this book, you're stillinterested in derivatives you cann proceed with Hull's "Options,Futures, and Other Derivative Securities", Kolb's "Futures,Options, and Swaps", or for the very ambitious student Wilmott's"Derivatives or Quantitative Finance".

Excellent book, must have for finance nuts.
The material is similar to his other book, OptionsFutures and OtherDerivatives, but much more easy to read.With Brealy & Myers, thisforms a good complementary text.

A must read for finance specialists
If you dont understand what the words Futures/options are and you want toknow it, this is the place to start. hull(from McGil i think!) hasexcellently presented information on these subjects for the student as wellas for the practitioner. As a student of MBA(finance) this was theprescribed text and I can safely say this compares with the best.sepcifically this book deals with the entire gamut of Futures/Options/Swapswith mathematical models where required. From CBOT to this day!!

Great introduction book but...
I reommend readers who are familiar with the derivatives should buy Hull's "Options, Futures and other Derivatives" since it goes faster trough the basics and covers more advanced topics. ... Read more