Using many examples and empirical case studies, the authors clearly discuss institutional and methodological principles. Investments in equities, fixed income, and derivatives are covered in detail, with separate chapters on futures, options, and swaps. Real estate investments, international portfolio diversification, and value-at-risk round out this broad-based introduction. New in the 4th edition: sections on further model concepts, stylized facts of empirical return time series, prospect theory, theory of efficient markets, portfolio heuristics, interest rate forecasting, pricing of commodity futures, risk management of option positions, and commodity investments.