The First-Time Investor: The Complete Guide to Buying, Owning and Selling Shares (Financial Times Series) Book

As its title suggests, this is a complete book of investing for the novice. First Time Investor can also serve as a useful handbook for knowledgeable investors who want to look up a fact or two. The book sets off by describing how the stock market works, the types of advice available to newcomers and an overview of collective investments such as unit or investment trusts. Harrison provides an overview of investing in tax-saving individual savings accounts, but it is in the second half of the book where the topic turns to picking shares that it gets really interesting. Many investors are overly focused on selecting the best few shares. Harrison starts at the top and spends considerable time on asset allocation--making sure your portfolio has the right degree of balance. Her sections dealing with share selection focus on looking at the company itself and then how the market values the company's shares. She also covers market cycles and how to deal with downturns in the market. She then turns to the more practical aspects of buying and selling shares before finishing with a recommendation to keep track of your investments and how exactly to do it. As one of the most experienced writers on personal finance on the scene today, Debbie Harrison is the ideal person to guide you through the subject. She writes regularly in the Financial Times and has authored several books on pensions and financial planning. The 290 pages of First Time Investor offer a compendium of information about all aspects of investing. --Bruce McWilliamsRead More