Book description
The final word on passive vs. active investing
The debate on active investing-stock picking and market timing-versus
passive investing-markets are highly efficient and almost impossible
to outperform-has raged for decades. Which side is right? In The
Quest for Alpha: The Holy Grail of Investing, author Larry E.
Swedroe puts an end to the debate, proving once and for all that
active investing is likely to prove futile as the associated
expenses-costs, fees, and time spent analyzing individual stocks and
the overall market-are likely to exceed any benefits gained. The book
- Presents research, data, and quotations that reveal it's
extremely difficult to outperform the market
- Explains why investors should focus on asset allocation, fund
construction, costs, tax efficiency, and the building of a
globally diversified portfolio that minimizes, if not eliminates,
the taking of idiosyncratic, uncompensated risks
- Other titles by Swedroe: The Only Guide to Alternative
Investments You'll Ever Need and The Only Guide You'll Ever Need
for the Right Financial Plan
Investors are on a never-ending search for a money manager who will
deliver returns above the appropriate risk-adjusted benchmark, aka the
"Holy Grail of Investing." The Quest for Alpha
demonstrates that it's a loser's game-while it's possible to win, it's
so unlikely that you shouldn't try.
LARRY E. SWEDROE is a principal and the Director
of Research for the Buckingham Family of Financial Services, which
includes Buckingham Asset Management and BAM Advisor Services. He has
also held executive-level positions at Prudential Home Mortgage,
Citicorp, and CBS. Swedroe frequently speaks at financial conferences
throughout the year and writes the blog "Wise Investing" at
CBS MoneyWatch. com.