Friday, 19 April 2013

What Happened (Dot Com Boom and Bust)

What Happened? This documentary with the name "What Happened" sets out to show you what happened during the dot com boom of the late 1990s. The documentary was created by Chas Mastin, Michael Lefort, Aldo Bello and a cast of characters in 2001-02. The documentary features interviews with such dot com luminaries as Mark Cuban. Find out what happened from those on the frontlines of the dot com boom. The documentary goes into how Internet entrepreneurs were paid obscene amounts of money for ideas and websites which made no money or didn't even have a hope of making money. Indeed the documentary claims over $20 billion of venture capital was poured into internet companies (the same amount spent on developing the nuclear bomb, and sending a man to space). Of course the investment banks played a major role in the mania - they provided capital, encouraged people to IPO in order to collect the big fees, and hyped up the valuations and prospects to a crowd of investors who were looking for hype. As interesting as this documentary is by itself, it's also an interesting example of a market mania - there will be future market manias so it is worth studying them and learning how to recognise and advantage from them.

Trade currencies, commodities, and stocks at eToro
Finance Documentaries: http://www.financedocumentaries.com/2013/04/what-happened-dot-com-boom-and-bust.html

Tuesday, 16 April 2013

Trading Academy - Episode 5: Trading FX

In this episode the traders get to grips with the global currency markets; learning to trade foreign exchange instruments. The traders receive advice on trading strategies and tactics from the mentors, and then are set loose on the forex markets. FX trading in particular is a very interesting form of trading as it often involves high leverage and the market can move and react to global events in an instant. You need to manage risks, know where the trend is, be aware of global macro events and form a view on where the data will print. Whether you trade on fundamentals or on price patterns you need a solid strategy and a strong trading approach - and of course you need to master your trading psychology. Watch the traders in action and learn from others. See also: Episode 1 (meet the candidates)Episode 2 (FTSE Fundamentals)Episode 3 (Global Indices), Episode 4 (Stocks and Shares) and Million Dollar Traders (a similar apprentice-style trading competition where the aim is to train a successful hedge fund manager). Be sure to add your comments below.

Trade currencies, commodities, and stocks at eToro
Finance Documentaries: http://www.financedocumentaries.com/2013/04/trading-academy-episode-5-trading-fx.html

Monday, 15 April 2013

Traders - Episode 1x01 - Options

Traders is a Canadian television drama series shot and aired in the late 1990s. It is an interesting and entertaining TV series based on a fictional investment bank "Gardner Ross".

Season 1, Episode 1: Jack Larkin, a Vancouver-based trader with Gardner Ross, shows up at their Toronto office with a plan to move from the trading floor into corporate finance. He meets with Cedric Ross, the eponymous controlling shareholder of Gardner Ross, who initially balks at the idea of making him an investment banker but agrees to further consideration if Jack can land a coveted mining company IPO (Initial Public Offering) for firm. Jack hustles to find the location of a poker game that the owner of Graykirk Mining, Gerald Graykirk, is playing and bribes his way into the game. During the poker game Jack connects with Gerald Graykirk and, while sharing a limousine ride later, convinces him to let Gardiner Ross lead the IPO. Despite an attempt to undermine the deal by Adam, Gardner Ross leads the Graykirk IPO, taking 40% of the $300M issue but endangers its ability to survive to do so. The firm only survives the offering with some deft (and questionable) market maneuvering led by Jack and the head trader, Marty Stephens. As per his deal with Sally, Jack becomes a director of Gardner Ross.

Trade currencies, commodities, and stocks at eToro
Finance Documentaries: http://www.financedocumentaries.com/2013/04/traders-episode-1x01-options.html

Sunday, 14 April 2013

Chess Grandmaster turns hedge fund manager

Ever wonder what would happen if a chess Grandmaster became a fund manager? Here's you chance to find out first hand with an Opalesque interview with Patrick Wolff. Patrick Wolff is the founder of equity long-short hedge fund Grandmaster Capital, seeded by PayPal founder Peter Thiel. His investment approach is "4 parts Warren Buffett, 1 part Peter Thiel" with a sprinkling of global macro insights. Patrick's background includes time as providing accounting payroll services, working the dot com world in Silicon Valley, and then onto work at Clarium - a global macro hedge fund. Wolff is an interesting individual and is well worth listening to.

Trade currencies, commodities, and stocks at eToro
Finance Documentaries: http://www.financedocumentaries.com/2013/04/chess-grandmaster-turns-hedge-fund.html

Saturday, 13 April 2013

Wall Street Warriors S02E04

Wall Street Warriors follows the careers of a range of Wall Street professionals; across the spectrum of professions and experience levels. This is a very interesting series for those wanting to learn more about what people do on Wall Street (i.e. in the finance industry), and is must see viewing for those interested in a career in finance. This episode is from the second series of the hit Wall Street Warriors franchise.

Markets are beginning to drop and the bullish stockbroker's are feeling the pain. Brett hasn't slept in 24 hours as he prepares for a key investment meeting. Laetitia has a potentially life-changing job interview in Paris with a merchant banker. Larry plays commodities "poker" and enjoys the good-life with his family.

.Trade currencies, commodities, and stocks at eToro
Finance Documentaries: http://www.financedocumentaries.com/2013/04/wall-street-warriors-s02e04.html