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Recommended books on finance?

Hi, I am a software developer interested in algorithmic trading, but don't know if I have a sufficient background / knowledge in finance to get started. I am solid with computer science--data structures, algorithms, database theory, and programming languages--and I have been trading as a hobby through TD Ameritrade for many years (just investing, no derivatives).

I don't have much of a background in finance other than having read Hull's "Options, Futures, and other Derivatives". How much finance knowledge do you need to start writing trading algorithms? Can anyone recommend books that give you enough financial knowledge to start algo trading?

3 responses

Try these resources to learn more about Finance:

  1. Khan Academy on Finance
  2. Coursera on Finance
  3. Quantitative Trading: How to Build Your Own Algorithmic Trading Business
  4. Fortune's Formula: The Untold Story of the Scientific Betting System That Beat the Casinos and Wall Street
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Nice, thanks!

the "bible" of chart analysis would be a good read for you too. Technical Analysis of Stock Trends by Edwards & MacGee

http://www.amazon.com/Technical-Analysis-Stock-Trends-Tenth/dp/1439898189/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425615448&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=technical+analysis+stocks+edwards+macgee

for starters, your job as a software developer would be to code the principles in this book.