Book review: portfolio society: on the capitalist modes of prediction by Ivan Ascher

In Portfolio Society: On the Capitalist Modes of Prediction, Ivan Ascher explores how the abstraction and securitisation of risk in financial markets have had a profound influence on economic and social relations, with a particular focus on the aftermath of the global financial crisis. The book underscores the extent to which much of the ‘value’ generated by the contemporary economy results from financial engineering or extractive practices, writes Jenny McArthur.