No issue is more critical to institutional investors than asset allocation. In today's volatile and increasingly global financial markets, asset mix and portfolio allocation are ever more important. However, the term asset allocation means different things to different people in different contexts. Whether policy asset allocation, tactical asset allocation or dynamic strategies for asset allocation, the policies and tactics are designed to reshape the return distribution. Because there are a number of decisions to make and issues to evaluate when reviewing asset allocation, this authoritative text assembles some of the best thinking in the investment world today on the subject of asset allocation. In Active Asset Allocation, pension sponsors, endowment and foundation managers and portfolio managers will find answers to many of the perplexing problems of assessing and managing the asset mix. Editors Robert D. Arnott and Frank J. Fabozzi, joined by a host of eminent practitioners and theoreticians, focus on the many dimensions of the asset allocation decision, tactical asset allocation and the risks associated with active asset allocation. Completely revised to reflect the latest thinking, Active Asset Allocation updates the ground-breaking material that made the first edition a critically acclaimed best-seller. Some of these current thoughts on asset allocation are communicated through a comprehensive series of chapters, including Managing the Asset Mix; Asset Performance and Surplus Control; Risk-Adjusted Surplus; Tax Consequences of Trading; A Disciplined Approach to Global Asset Allocation; Does Tactical Asset Allocation Work? and At Last, a Rational Case forLong-Horizon Risk Tolerance and for Asset Allocation Timing?

The Investor's Guide to Active Asset Allocation offers you the background and analytical tools required to take full advantage of the opportunities found in asset allocation, sector rotation, ETFs, and the business cycle. Written by renowned technical analyst and best-selling author Martin Pring, the book presents Pring's unique Six Business Cycle Stages, explaining why certain asset categories perform better or worse during different phases of the business cycle, and demonstrating how to use intermarket tools and technical analysis to recognize what business cycle stage the market is in. Pring shows you how to apply active asset allocation, rotating among sectors and major markets (stocks, bonds, and futures) as the business cycle stage changes, to develop optimum allocation strategies. He focuses on exchange traded funds (ETFs) as the best vehicle for asset allocation rotation, since they are easily traded and have much more flexibility than mutual funds. He also offers specific guidelines for what sectors to be in, depending on the business cycle stage. The Investor's Guide to Active Asset Allocation provides you with proven investing expertise on: Basic Principles of Money Management How the Business Cycle Drives the Prices of Bonds, Stocks, and Commodities The Pring Six Business Cycle Stages Technical Tools that Help to Identify Trend Reversals Putting Things into a Long-Term Perspective Recognizing Stages Using Easy-to-Follow Indicators as well as Models How the Ten Market Sectors Fit into the Rotation Process How Individual Sectors and Groups Performed in Each of the Six Stages Asset Allocation for Specific Stages This dynamic investing resource also gives you access to downloadable content, which contains supplementary information that will help you execute the strategies described in the book. You'll find links to useful websites that contain a wide-ranging library of ETFs, database sources, historical data files in Excel format, and a collection of historical multi-colored PowerPoint charts. An essential tool for improving your analytical skills, The Investor's Guide to Active Asset Allocation shows you how to move from a passive to an active allocation model and explains the link between business cycle and stock market cycle for more effective - and profitable - trading and investing.

This pioneering book provides professional investors with an innovative approach to stock market valuation and portfolio management. Refuting the common notion that passive investing and active management are mutually exclusive, three top investors show how to combine both for maximum results. 105 illus.

� Comprehensive survey on contemporary thinking � Essential reading for investment managers Asset allocation has only become a significant component in the investment management process comparatively recently. Increasingly sophisticated methods are being developed and used in the area. This text provides a survey of contemporary thinking in asset allocation and dissects the many niche subjects within the study of asset allocation to gain new insights.

How investors can maximize returns and minimize risk using exchange traded funds and the latest asset allocation techniques Used wisely, exchange traded funds (ETFs) can make it easy to customize an asset allocation strategy for an investor's specific situation. They're a perfect way to divide money among various asset classes, such as stocks, bonds, currencies, and real estate. This groundbreaking book shows investors how and why to use ETFs as their primary investment vehicle. The benefits include instant diversification, transparency, tax efficiency, low costs, and intraday pricing. ETFs for the stock market combine the best features of individual stocks and mutual funds. They allow investors to easily buy and sell portions of the total market-offering more diversity than individual stocks, without the expenses and hassles of mutual funds. For example, the ETF called SPY (also known as Spyders) represents the largest five hundred stocks; an investor who buys shares of SPY is actually buying five hundred stocks rolled into one. There are hundreds of ETFs in sectors ranging from energy to financials to technology. The Active Asset Allocator explains how to balance the risks and rewards of various asset classes to match an investor's current goals. It also shows how to rebalance a portfolio over time, adjusting the allocation to generate higher returns with lower risk as market conditions change.

We know asset allocation theory, and reality is much different in a market meltdown. This book highlights the most critical research tied to investing in up and down market cycles, asset allocation, and investment management over the last 50 years. We start with a critical look at diversification and asset allocation; we provide an in-depth analysis of investing in stocks, we then provide details on two active asset allocation approaches, make a case for index funds, and then introduce you to a management tool which we'll use to manage the asset allocation strategy going forward.

Build an agile, responsive portfolio with a new approach to global asset allocation Adaptive Asset Allocation is a no-nonsense how-to guide for dynamic portfolio management. Written by the team behind Gestaltu.com, this book walks you through a uniquely objective and unbiased investment philosophy and provides clear guidelines for execution. From foundational concepts and timing to forecasting and portfolio optimization, this book shares insightful perspective on portfolio adaptation that can improve any investment strategy. Accessible explanations of both classical and contemporary research support the methodologies presented, bolstered by the authors' own capstone case study showing the direct impact of this approach on the individual investor. Financial advisors are competing in an increasingly commoditized environment, with the added burden of two substantial bear markets in the last 15 years. This book presents a framework that addresses the major challenges both advisors and investors face, emphasizing the importance of an agile, globally-diversified portfolio. Drill down to the most important concepts in wealth management Optimize portfolio performance with careful timing of savings and withdrawals Forecast returns 80% more accurately than assuming long-term averages Adopt an investment framework for stability, growth, and maximum income An optimized portfolio must be structured in a way that allows quick response to changes in asset class risks and relationships, and the flexibility to continually adapt to market changes. To execute such an ambitious strategy, it is essential to have a strong grasp of foundational wealth management concepts, a reliable system of forecasting, and a clear understanding of the merits of individual investment methods. Adaptive Asset Allocation provides critical background information alongside a streamlined framework for improving portfolio performance.