Blind Faith: Our Misplaced Trust in the Stock Market - and Smarter, Safer Ways To Invest - Tapa blanda

This book has four essential messages summarized as follows:....The risk of placing money into common stock or equity mutual funds has evolved to the point where this process, commonly referred to as investing, can now be more accurately described as speculation or gambling....The people who place money into the stock market take on most of the risk but receive only the "crumbs" of a market advance. The real winners are the executives, the corporations, and the brokerage industry. The rewards are so great that the behavior of these "beneficiaries" of market advances can range from unethical transgressions to outright fraud....The traditional measures for dealing with market risk - asset allocation and diversification - do not adequately address the problem. This book presents a new philosophy and strategy for dealing with the inherent dangers of stock market investing....There are ways to participate in market advances while protecting the underlying principal against loss. These "protected" investment alternatives are available today and are evaluated as a means for intelligently dealing with market uncertainty. These four messages are pertinent to anyone concerned about the risk associated with investing in stocks. This includes individuals, fiduciaries, and financial professionals, both foreign and domestic. An underlying theme is that there is no certainty when it comes to predicting how the market will perform during a specific period of time in the future. It may turn out to be the best place to put money or the absolute worst. Investors don't know. Investment advisers don't know. Nobody knows! Given that the future is completely uncertain, there is a better way to plan and invest that goes far beyond placing our blind faith in the expectation of an ever-rising stock market. Speculating in the market may be stimulating entertainment, but the risks associated with investing in stock are incredibly high. Investments that protect our principal yet allow for participation in the upside of the market eliminate the gambling facet and allow us more control over our future financial health.....Edward J. Winslow Jr. is the senior partner and founder of PM Investments and is one of the most creative and knowledgeable financial consultants in the country. He avoids traditional investments such as stocks and mutual funds while providing a unique strategy for building and safe-guarding wealth. Ed was the founder as well as chairman of First Affirmative Financial Network, the nation's first broker/dealer to specialize in socially responsible investing. He was also founder and president of First American Financial Cooperative, the nation's first cooperatively owned financial planning firm. Ed has been recognized in Who's Who in the West and Who's Who in Finance and Industry. He was the first recipient of the prestigious SRI Service Award recognizing his unique contribution to the social investment industry.