Book excerpt: Stripping away the mystique from the world of investment and finance, How to Read the Financial Pages is a layman's guide to reading and understanding the financial press and the markets and events it covers. Assuming no financial knowledge, Michael Brett provides a valuable explanation of the workings of the financial world - from money markets to commodity markets, investment ratios to takeover bids. With an extensive glossary of financial terms, this book will help you through the financial columns to a better understanding of the language of markets and money. For ten years How to Read the Financial Pages has been an outstanding first-choice buy for everyone who wants a thorough - but friendly - grounding in finance and investment. --What are stock markets, currency markets, commodities markets? How do they operate? --What are derivatives? Could they cause the financial system to crash? --What is meant by insider dealing? Why is it illegal? --Who are the main players in the world of money? What do stock brokers, market makers, merchant bankers and underwriters actually do? --How has the Internet affected private investors? What are the new opportunities?