Abstract. In this introduction to the burgeoning field of econophysics, we review the application of self-organized criticality to economics, the Cont–Bouchaud percolation model, multiple-strategy agent-based models of financial markets, the minority game, and log-periodic precursors to financial crashes.

Print publication: Issue 10 (October 2003)
Received 28 January 2003, in final form 30 July 2003
Published 4 September 2003