Introduction to Financial Markets
 - Course Outline

Aim

This course will give delegates an overview of the international markets; from those that trade traditional products to those offering derivatives; from deposits to freight futures. Those attending will gain a good basic of understanding of how the markets are inter-linked, structured, regulated and of the products that are traded and how they are settled.

• Domestic and international market overview

• Types of market; exchange traded and over the counter

• Regulation and capital adequacy

• Best practice: the London Code and NIPS Code

• Market participants

• Background and structure of Money Markets (Short term, up to one year)

• Interest rate management

• Central bank operations

• Major players in the markets

• Cash market instruments

• What drives exchange rates

• The FX spot market

• The FX forward market

• How the FX market affects the economy

• The purpose and users of Capital Markets

• Debt vs. Equity

• Debt market instruments

• Pricing, yield curves

• What is Equity, why market is volatile.

• The Stock Exchanges

• The indices, FTSE, Dow Jones, CAC 40

• Economic indicators that affect the market

• What is a Derivative instrument and the requirement for an underlying market.

• What advantages are there in using derivatives (off balance sheet)

• How derivatives may be employed in banking and asset management

• The risks, and controls

• What is happening at the cutting edge?

• What are the factors that will drive change?

• The balance between free markets and regulation

• Market consolidation compared with innovation

• Some leading indicators and clues….