market folly

Last week, we highlighted some Holiday Sales & Deals (Financial Edition) on some bargains for investors and traders. This week, we're turning our focus to a Holiday Wishlist: Financial Edition. With the holidays upon us, we figured it'd be a good idea to toss out some good gift ideas for that savvy investor or trader your know. Or, just for yourself hah.

To the list!

Trading Hardware/Software

• Samsung SyncMaster 2253BW 22-inch LCD Monitor. If you're in the markets, you can never have enough screen real-estate for charts, 10Q's, streaming quotes... you name it. Samsung are some of the best screens out there and this 22-inch monitor will get the job done for you. Heck, pick up two of them for the dual-screen setup. (Or, if you need even bigger, go with the Samsung 24-inch LCD Monitor). Dual or Tri-screen is the way to go, I'm telling you. I know I'll never go back to just one monitor.
• Asus Eee Netbook for checking up on the market while you're on the road. Full specs: Asus Eee PC 900HA 8.9 inch Netbook (1.6 GHz Intel ATOM N270 Processor, 1 GB Ram, 160 GB Hard Drive, Windows XP Home) Color: Black.
• Apple MacBook Air for those who prefer Apple. Check the markets while travelling with this ultra-lightweight laptop. Full Specs: 13.3 Inch, 1.6 GHz Intel Core2Duo Processor, 2 GB Ram, 80 GB Hard Drive, Color: Silver.
• Blackberry Storm. Keep up with the markets with the new touchscreen Blackberry. Or, if you're not a fan of touchscreens, then go with the all-new Blackberry Bold.
  
• TradingSolutions technical analysis. Advanced technical analysis trading software for all you traders out there.
  

• Amazon's Kindle: Wireless Reading Device. You could buy all the physical books listed below... or you could just buy the Kindle and take all your books with you wirelessly on one device. Kindle has been getting rave reviews and simplifies your investing & trading bookshelf into one simple device that stores all your books.
  
• When Markets Collide by Mohamed El-Erian. This book written by PIMCO head El-Erian discusses the current fundamental changes going on in the global economy and financial markets/systems. Also, this book recently won the Business Book of the Year for 2008.
• Margin of Safety: Risk-Averse Value Investing Strategies for the Thoughtful Investor by Seth Klarman. This is written by hedge fund manager Seth Klarman, who runs Baupost Group. Definitely a great read that not every investor has on their bookshelf.
• Market Wizards by Jack D. Schwager. If you or someone you know wants to learn from some of the best in the markets, then this is the book for you. Top traders and hedge fund managers discuss topics such as discipline, risk management, consistency, and capital preservation among others.
• Fooling Some of the People All of the Time: A Long Short Story by David Einhorn. This book gives you an inside perspective as to how hedge fund Greenlight Capital constructs and researches their investment theses and we highly recommend it.
• Confessions of a Street Addict by Jim Cramer. Say what you will about Cramer's antics, but this book gives unique insight into the time at his hedge fund.
• The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life. The account of Warren Buffett's life, as written by his hand-selected biographer Alice Schroeder.
  

• The Wall Street Journal for 75% off. This is a great idea because it is on sale and its a good gift for someone constantly around the markets! (Or Wall Street Journal Europe for our European readers).
  
• The same applies for $60 off Investors Business Daily. Great deal and a great gift idea.

• Hedge Fund and Investment Technology. 12 month subscription with 12 issues. News and analysis of everything shaping the industry.
• Hedge Fund Manager Magazine: 40 issues over 12 months discussing all the essentials to running a hedge fund.
  
• Hedge Fund Journal. 10 issues over 12 months
  
• The Economist. A 12 month subscription (51 issues) to a great magazine, that's all there is to it.
• Forbes. 26 issues over 12 months. A mainstay financial read.
  

• Wall Street (20th Anniversary Edition) DVD. "Greed is good." THE movie for anyone involved in the markets. Period. Michael Douglas, Charlie Sheen, and more.
• Wall Street (on Bluray). Same as above, but in high definition.
• Wall Street Warriors Season 1 (TV Show) DVD. Reality show detailing the lives of various people on Wall Street, including Timothy Sykes.
• Wall Street Warriors Season 2 (TV Show) DVD. Second season of the reality show... this time following new people around the markets.
• Charlie Rose - Crisis on Wall Street DVD (September 2008).