Top 5 Investment Books for the Current Economy

After months of distressing financial news and bottoming stocks, the markets are poised to respond to the billions of dollars that will soon be released into the economy. Presented here are a few of the best books on investment strategies designed to get investors, large and small, through the current tough economic times and positioned for the next market rebound.

The Intelligent Investor: A Book of Practical Counsel by Benjamin Graham

Originally published in 1949, "The Intelligent Investor" is the classic investment guide. Warren Buffet, the acknowledged messiah of the buy and hold investor, wrote the preface for the fourth edition. In it, he credits Graham as one of the most influential people in his life. Graham's investment philosophy centers on the long-term principal of value investing. This strategy has proved to be extremely successful for generations of investors.

Stocks for the Long Run: The Definitive Guide to Financial Market Returns and Long-Term Investment Strategies by Jeremy J. Siegle

Siegel's book runs the information gamut from how to measure risk and proper portfolio allocation to how stock indexes are calculated. Now in its third printing, the book has been revised with updated data, graphics and charts. The included strategies and analyses of market trends are as valuable today as they were in during the upswing of the last five years and provide a steady perspective on the current market.

The Little Book of Common Sense Investing: The Only Way to Guarantee Your Fair Share of Stock Market Returns by John C. Bogel

John Bogel maintains that the sensible course for investing is through index funds. Indexes have proved themselves an excellent vehicle for accumulating wealth and minimizing the costs levied by the "middle men" of financial management. He shows the average investor how to choose among the various market indexes, what kind of a return to expect, and how to manage taxes, fees, and other investment costs that threaten profits.

It's When You Sell That Counts by Donald Cassidy

Most investment guides deal primarily with how to analyze market trends and how to choose the right financial vehicle for purchase however, Cassidy's guide discusses not only the analytical and predictive skills needed to successfully gauge when to sell but also the emotional issues that can impact sell decisions. Of special interest for today's financial climate, Cassidy addresses the strategies of holding and selling in a bear market.

Timing the Market: How to Profit in the Stock Market Using the Yield Curve, Technical Analysis, and Cultural Indicators by Deborah Weir

Using the fundamentals of economics, Weir discusses the importance of supply and demand and the effects of interest rates on investor strategy, as well as an explanation of yield curves and how they influence more than just the bond market. Using real life examples and solid data, Timing the Market presents an investment and forecasting strategy that, over time, indicates that intelligent asset rotation is a better choice than buy and hold.

Sources:
http://www.amazon.com/Intelligent-Investor-Book-Practical-Counsel/dp/0060155477; http://www.amazon.com/Stocks-Long-Run-Jeremy-Siegel/dp/007058043X; http://www.investordictionary.com/store/product/0470102101.aspx; http://www.amazon.com/Its-When-Sell-That-Counts/dp/0786311290; http://www.amazon.com/Timing-Market-Technical-Analysis-Indicators/dp/0471708984