In Pursuit of the Perfect Portfolio

The Stories, Voices, and Key Insights of the Pioneers Who Shaped the Way We Invest

Andrew W. Lo, Stephen R. Foerster

• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Year: 2021
• Print ISBN:
  9780691229881
  9780691215204
• eBook ISBN:
  9780691222684
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Bonds
• Index: Business

How the greatest thinkers in finance changed the field and how their wisdom can help investors today

Is there an ideal portfolio of investment assets, one that perfectly balances risk and reward? In Pursuit of the Perfect Portfolio examines this question by profiling and interviewing ten of the most prominent figures in the finance world—Jack Bogle, Charley Ellis, Gene Fama, Marty Leibowitz, Harry Markowitz, Bob Merton, Myron Scholes, Bill Sharpe, Bob Shiller, and Jeremy Siegel. We learn about the personal and intellectual journeys of these luminaries—which include six Nobel Laureates and a trailblazer in mutual funds—and their most innovative contributions. In the process, we come to understand how the science of modern investing came to be. Each of these finance greats discusses their idea of a perfect portfolio, offering invaluable insights to today's investors.

Inspiring such monikers as the Bond Guru, Wall Street's Wisest Man, and the Wizard of Wharton, these pioneers of investment management provide candid perspectives, both expected and surprising, on a vast array of investment topics—effective diversification, passive versus active investment, security selection and market timing, foreign versus domestic investments, derivative securities, nontraditional assets, irrational investing, and so much more. While the perfect portfolio is ultimately a moving target based on individual age and stage in life, market conditions, and short- and long-term goals, the fundamental principles for success remain constant.

Aimed at novice and professional investors alike, In Pursuit of the Perfect Portfolio is a compendium of financial wisdom that no market enthusiast will want to be without.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Preface
• The Pioneers and Their Connections
• 1. A Brief History of Investments
• 2. Harry Markowitz and Portfolio Selection
• 3. William Sharpe and the Capital Asset Pricing Model
• 4. Eugene Fama and Efficient Markets
• 5. John Bogle and the Vanguard Portfolio
• 6. Myron Scholes and the Black-Scholes / Merton Option Pricing Model
• 7. Robert Merton, from Derivatives to Retirement
• 8. Martin Leibowitz, from Bond Guru to Investment Strategist
• 9. Robert Shiller and Irrational Exuberance
• 10. Charles Ellis and Winning at the Loser’s Game
• 11. Jeremy Siegel, the Wizard of Wharton
• 12. So, What Is the Perfect Portfolio?
• Notes
• References
• Index