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Financial Models Using Simulation and Optimization: A Step-by-Step Guide with Excel and Palisade's DecisionTools^® Software

by Wayne Winston, 1998, Palisade Corporation, 499 pages, includes CD-ROM of examples, US$59.95, ISBN 1-893281-00-0.

This book is a compilation of about 100 analysis examples.  Some involve only Excel.  Most use @RISK, Palisade's flagship produce. One chapter provides a quick look at Evolver, Palisade's genetic algorithm program.

There is something here for everyone.  These are training examples, and there is limited explanation of the concepts.  Yet Winston provides enough dialogue to be interesting.

Many of the topics deal with fairly sophisticated financial concepts.  Topics include but are not limited to:

• Regression
• Optimization with Excel's Solver
• Immunization and arbitrage
• Pricing puts and calls by simulation; hedging; valuing options
• PrecisionTree for decision tree analysis
• Utility theory

This book will be of special interest to persons learning to use the DecisionTools Suite.  It will also be of interest to people dong business modeling in Excel and to persons using other decision analysis tools for Excel.

—John Schuyler, March 1999

Copyright © 1999 by John R. Schuyler. All rights reserved. Permission to copy with reproduction of this notice.