Financial Market Analysis (FMA)

Course details

Target Audience:

Junior to mid-level officials in central banks, ministries of finance, and regulatory agencies, who are interested in the fundamentals of financial analysis as part of the toolkit of policymakers.

Qualification

Participants are expected to have an advanced degree in economics or equivalent experience. No background in finance is assumed, but participants must have some familiarity with basic techniques in statistics and probability. It is essential that participants are able to use Microsoft Excel.

Language

The course is conducted in English only. Due to the technical nature of the course, English proficiency is a prerequisite.

Course Description

This course, presented by IMF-CEF and IMF-ICD staff, introduces participants to the fundamentals of financial analysis that are part of the toolkit of policymakers. These tools are used to study the characteristics of various financial instruments and their pricing, as well as to analyze portfolios of assets and the basics of risk management. Topics include:

•  Bond pricing and volatility-duration and convexity;
•  Term structure of interest rates;
•  Equity pricing;
•  Asset allocation and diversification; and
•  Value at risk.

Workshops, which are an integral part of the course, require participants to apply the techniques presented