A Random Walk Down Wall Street

How does the Dutch tulip boom show the process by which bubbles form? Relate the tulip boom to the South Sea Company bubble and the GameStop meme stock bubble. How do these situations seem similar? How are they different?

Compare and contrast firm-foundation theory and castle-in-the-air theory. In what ways are the two theories similar? What different goals might each theory be better at serving?

Though Malkiel presents the efforts of technicians and chartists as often ridiculous, how do they seem through the lens of the random walk theory? How does the random walk theory function in the market, and how might it subvert the efforts of securities analysts?

In some ways, modern portfolio theory seems to support the success of index funds. In what ways does MPT go against the efficient market hypothesis? How might an actively managed fund underperform compared to an index fund?

What is a risk parity fund? How does leveraging potentially increase returns? What is the risk of leveraging to purchase additional assets?

Malkiel often addresses the psychology of investors and investment professionals. In what ways are these psychological patterns warnings of what investors should avoid? How do some psychological patterns lead to fraud or deception?

What is beta? What is smart beta? How does beta remove unsystematic risk, and what does systematic risk mean for the average investor?

Compare and contrast stocks and bonds. Why does Malkiel favor stocks? Why would a younger investor favor stocks, while an older investor would favor bonds?