Create Your Own Hedge Fund – Mark Wolfinger

FROM THE INSIDE FLAP

Millions of investors have lost trillions of dollars to turbulent markets over the past five years. Millions of others, however, have used innovative strategies to hold their own and even see their portfolios increase in value. Create Your Own Hedge Fund outlines one such strategy using exchange traded funds (ETFs) and options.

ETFs such as DIAMONDs and VIPERS are fast replacing traditional mutual funds among investors attracted by their reduced expenses and increased versatility and variety, along with the fact—critical to the book’s strategies—that ETFs trade on exchanges and are optionable. Option writing, on the other hand, has proven to give investors more winning positions, fewer losing positions (with smaller losses when they do occur), and less fluctuation in portfolio value.

Create Your Own Hedge Fund combines the best aspects of both ETFs and options into an investing program that works well in both bull and bear markets, is affordable for the bulk of investors, and provides overall package returns that are steadier and more predictable than those provided by its component pieces. This results-driven book is divided into four parts that fully examine each element:

PART I

discusses the foundation of the book’s program, Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT), and why MPT makes it difficult, if not impossible, for investors to beat the market. It then introduces the advantages and drawbacks of hedge funds, and how to invest like a hedge fund with less risk and lower cost.

PART II

discusses mutual funds, both traditional and newer exchange traded funds, and explains why ETFs are a superior alternative for the majority of investors.

PART III

covers the basics and mechanics of options and option writing, a strategy that is historically considered risky but actually entails far less risk than traditional buy-and-hold.

PART IV

provides the payoff, explaining how to construct a foundation portfolio and choose an option to write, then providing detailed examples of option writing in action.

Create Your Own Hedge Fund details an uncomplicated investment program that utilizes the best aspects of a hedge fund to provide market-beating returns while significantly reducing risk. Straightforward and understandable, it will show you how to remove heart-stopping swings from your portfolio’s performance—without sacrificing the performance itself.

Mark Wolfinger has been in the options business since 1977 when he became a market maker on the trading floor of the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE). He left the exchange is 2000.

Since then he has been an educator. He has published three books for the option beginner and teaches individual investors to use options to enhance profits and reduce risk. He offers individual and group seminars and operates Options for Rookies (https://www.mdwoptions.com/Premium/home-page/), a low-cost service that provides a true options education.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, he currently resides in Evanston, Il with his life partner Penny.

He received a BS degree from Brooklyn College and a PhD from Northwestern University.