Includes bibliographical references and index.

List of illustrations p. viii Preface p. ix Introduction p. 1 1 Why buy shares? p. 3 The benefits p. 3 Why do shares rise in value? p. 9 Are shares right for you? p. 11 A history of shares p. 17 The difficulty of selecting shares p. 26 2 An explanation of shares p. 28 Basic information p. 28 Why come to market? p. 34 More about shares p. 35 Capital versus income p. 37 The stockmarket indices p. 40 Marketability of shares p. 42 Market subdivisions p. 47 Share sectors p. 47 Types of share p. 48 3 Factors affecting the price of a share p. 57 Share dilution p. 57 The perception of share values p. 62 The movement of markets p. 68 The importance of timing p. 71 Company bids and takeovers p. 72 4 Avoiding undue risk p. 76 Avoiding local risk p. 76 Overseas investments p. 77 Pooled funds p. 79 The institutions p. 89 The zero sum game p. 89 5 Dealing in shares p. 92 Certificates or nominee account? p. 92 The broker p. 93 Taurus/Crest p. 98 A summary of charges p. 102 The mechanics of share dealing p. 104 When to buy and when to sell p. 113 The Coppock Indicator p. 114 6 Stockmarket strategies p. 116 Some stockmarket investment strategies p. 116 Modern portfolio theory/risk management p. 121 The Logical Investment Strategy p. 122 Summary of the Logical Investment Strategy p. 124 Construction of a wishlist p. 126 Construction of a hitlist p. 128 Valuation of shares p. 128 Performance assessment p. 129 7 Investing in traded options and futures p. 131 Introduction to options p. 131 Interpretation of charts p. 141 Futures p. 146 Other derivatives p. 146 8 Bonds/gilts/interest-bearing deposits p. 147 Introduction to bonds and gilts p. 147 Tax implications of purchases of bonds and gilts p. 157 Strategies for buying gilts p. 159 How to buy and sell gilts p. 161 How to buy and sell bonds p. 162 9 Six typical case studies p. 163 Conclusion p. 173 Appendices 1 Government privatisations p. 174 2 The Black-Scholes Model for traded options p. 176 3 Personal Equity Plans (PEPs) and Tax Exempt Special Savings Accounts (TESSAs) p. 178 4 Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) p. 179 5 The price of gold p. 184 6 Split capital investment trusts p. 186 7 Business and Enterprise Schemes p. 188 8 Permanent Income Bearing Shares (PIBS) p. 192 9 Bulletin Board/SEATS p. 195 10 Value investment p. 196 11 FRS-3: new accounting rules p. 198 12 AIM/PLUS p. 199 13 Emerging markets p. 201 14 Order-driven markets/SETS p. 202 15 The Internet p. 204 16 Capital Gains Tax (CGT) p. 206 17 Reinvestment of dividends p. 213 18 Derivatives p. 215 19 Alternative investments p. 219 20 Inland Revenue stamp offices p. 220 21 Self-invested pension plans (SIPPs) p. 221 Glossary p. 225 Further reading p. 241 Useful addresses p. 242 Index p. 244.

Explains what affects share prices, how to avoid unnecessary risks and how to trade on the stock market. REVIEWS: "'If you have got money to spare, start by investing in the purchase of this book.' Making Money Magazine 'An easy-to-understand guide to The way the stock market works, And how the investor should go about setting up a suitable investment strategy.' What Investment 'A really user-friendly guide...Contains many practical examples and illustrations of typical share-dealing documents...demystifies the world of stocks and shares.' OwnBase" AUTHOR BIOG: Dr John White is an experienced and successful personal investor and director of an investment company. He has also written a range of chart-analysis software for stock market investment. CONTENTS: 1. Why buy shares? 2. An explanation of shares 3. Factors affecting the price of a share 4. Avoiding undue risk 5. Dealing in shares 6. Stockmarket strategies 7. Investing in traded options and futures 8. Bonds/gilts/interest-bearing deposits 9. Six typical case studies Glossary Further reading Useful addresses Index.