Trading Software and Books Reviews

The Sensible Investor Review

The subtitle for the book is Demystifying Portfolio Management, which, to me, makes it a must for the bookshelf provided it is written in plain English. It is.

Mr Topham has a history in portfolio management, merchant banking, investment and broking, so he talks from experience. Many people create a portfolio either out of a windfall profit or through inheritance. Neither of these necessarily makes people capable of successfully managing their funds. Working through this book will help clarify goals and needs, and the steps needed to achieve goals.

The author says the book was designed to help people manage a portfolio in a simple yet structured manner. Its goal is to help investors become more organised and focused. The challenge is that even with the best guidance (and this is good) you need to exercise the self-discipline to follow that guidance and do the work. Failure here will not help your capital growth.

Mr Topham is not a fan of short-term trading. He encourages and educates people to understand the role of investment management. At the same time he attempts to help investors sort through portfolios that may have begun as a jumble of acquisitions. If nothing else, he endeavours to help people put together all the relevant information that a good financial adviser would need.

Of course, as a book for the general public, it cannot give specific advice; but it gives readers areas to consider and some good questions to ask their accountant and other financial advisers.

This article was originally published in the Sep/Oct 07 issue of YourTradingEdge magazine (www.YTEmagazine.com). All rights reserved. © Copyright 2009, MarketSource International Pty Ltd.

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