Global Financial Markets and Instruments

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/global-financial-markets-instruments

Introduction

### Course Review: Global Financial Markets and Instruments on Coursera If you're looking to gain a foundational understanding of financial investment, Coursera's **Global Financial Markets and Instruments** course is a stellar choice. This course serves as the first step in the Investment and Portfolio Management Specialization, equipping learners with essential concepts necessary for long-term success in managing money. Whether you're a novice investor or seeking to refine your existing knowledge, this program offers valuable insights into the complex world of finance. #### Course Overview The course kicks off with an exploration of the vital roles that financial markets and assets play in our economy. It expands upon elementary finance concepts and transitions into more specialized topics, including the broad variety of financial instruments available in major asset classes. The syllabus is thoughtfully crafted to guide you through a structured journey of understanding, making it accessible for learners of all backgrounds. #### Detailed Syllabus Breakdown 1. **Module 1: Introduction & Review of Elementary Finance Tools** - This module serves as a setup for the course and provides a comprehensive overview of time value of money, computing returns, discounting, and compounding. It's an essential module for anyone who might need a refresher on basic finance principles before diving deeper into more complex topics. 2. **Module 2: Financial System & Financial Assets: Fixed Income Securities** - In this module, you'll explore financial markets' existence and their roles. It delves into the fundamentals of fixed-income securities, covering topics like bond valuation, corporate bonds, and U.S. Treasury securities. By the end of this module, you'll have a solid grasp of how to identify cash flows and calculate yields for various fixed-income instruments. 3. **Module 3: Financial System & Financial Assets: Equity Securities and Derivatives** - Here, you build upon your knowledge of equity securities and derivative instruments. This module will help you differentiate between fixed income and equity, understand stock cash flows, and calculate the valuation of shares. It also covers options strategies, enriching your investment toolkit with a more comprehensive understanding of asset classes. 4. **Module 4: Organization of Financial Markets and Securities Trading** - This module equips you with the mechanics of how financial markets operate. It discusses trading venues, mechanisms, and the latest trends in securities trading. You’ll gain fluency in relevant terminology and develop the skills necessary to navigate transactions such as margin buying and short-selling, essential for becoming an informed practitioner in the field. #### Why You Should Enroll 1. **Comprehensive Curriculum**: The course offers a well-structured and comprehensive curriculum that covers all essential aspects of financial markets and instruments. 2. **Flexible Learning**: Being an online course, it allows you to learn at your own pace and revisit materials as needed, catering to your individual schedule. 3. **Expert Instruction**: The course is taught by knowledgeable instructors who provide real-world insights, ensuring that you receive practical education alongside theoretical foundations. 4. **Networking Opportunities**: Engaging with a global community of learners can give you the chance to share insights and network with peers interested in finance. 5. **Industry-Relevant Skills**: The skills you gain will be applicable across various roles in finance, making this course a valuable addition to your professional Qualifications. #### Final Recommendation In conclusion, if you're serious about building a career in finance or enhancing your personal investment strategies, the **Global Financial Markets and Instruments** course on Coursera is highly recommended. It combines essential theoretical knowledge with practical application, laying a solid groundwork for anyone aspiring to excel in financial investment. Don’t miss the opportunity to gain insights from this comprehensive course and start your journey toward becoming a well-informed investor today!

Syllabus

Module 1: Introduction & Review of Elementary Finance Tools

This module introduces the Investment and Portfolio Management Specialization, which is made up of four courses. This module discusses how the first course, Global Financial Markets and Instruments, is organized. It outlines the different stages of the investment management process, which guides the focus of the Specialization. It also reviews basic finance concepts and tools such as time value of money, computing returns, discounting and compounding.

In this and the next module, we cover the key institutional features of financial markets and instruments. We ask the following questions: Why do financial markets exist? What role do they play? What are financial assets and how are they different than real assets? How does it all come together? Basically, this is where I hope you will get to see the big picture of the entire financial system and how it comes together. Module 2 focuses on fixed-income securities. We'll get started with a review of basics of bond valuation. You will learn about short-term money market instruments, U.S. Treasury securities as well as corporate bonds. After module 2, you will be able to describe fixed income securities, be familiar with their institutional features, and identify their cash flows. Finally, you will learn how to value fixed income securities such as Treasury bills, zero-coupon or coupon-bonds and compute yields.

In Module 3, we continue our overview of financial markets and instruments. We next focus on two other major asset classes: equity securities and derivative instruments. You will learn about how equity differs from fixed income securities, the cash flows associated with stock and preferred stock and how to find the value of a share. You will also learn about option strategies. After completing module 3, you will be able to describe all major asset classes, including derivative instruments such as options, forwards and futures. You will be able to explain how these differ from each other and their payoffs.

In this module, we discuss how financial markets actually work. We will talk about different trading venues and the mechanics of securities trading. I will emphasize a lot of terminology and the latest trends in securities trading to familiarize you with the institutional workings of financial markets. After this module, you will be able to compare different trading venues, trading mechanisms, and be able to explain different types of orders, including transactions like margin buying and short-selling; you will be familiar with the language and terminology you need in order to become an informed practitioner of investments.