Introduction

Abstract

It is the purpose of this book to introduce the field of bioinformatics to financial modeling. Why? Well, think of what you are doing. You are reading a book on the way information is imputed within financial markets. In the process you are absorbing information yourself. Whether you agree or disagree with what is about to be presented in the ensuing chapters you cannot help but be affected by it. The human mind displays a voracious appetite when it comes to seeking out and assimilating new information — even information that we don’t necessarily agree with. Financial markets are no different. They display an insatiable appetite for new thoughts and ideas. In short, financial markets are huge information consuming entities. What is the most obvious manifestation of their ruminations regarding this vast information flow? Asset prices. So we ask the obvious question — why then, up until now, has a comprehensive theory of the actual building blocks of information been noticeably lacking from the finance literature?