Introduction to Bond, Equity Markets, and Financial Regulation

This course begins with an understanding of the role of debt and equity in a firm’s capital structure and identifies the main issuers of bonds and the different types of bonds they issue. Examples are used to calculate a bond’s price and its yield (IRR). You will learn how to distinguish between different yield curve shapes and understand their implications for the economy and the business cycle.

We then explore the role primary and secondary markets play and provides an understanding of the mechanics of a Treasury. You will learn about the sources and impacts of the different types of risks that bondholders face and the bond market’s use and calculation of credit ratings and credit spreads.

This course wraps up with an understanding of the different classes of Common Stock and the main types of Preferred Stock along with warrants and depositary receipts. You will get introduced to different types of stock markets, exchanges and electronic clearing networks. You will also learn about the key regulators of the financial system along with their primary objectives. You’ll also look at the main features and objectives of Dodd-Frank and Basel III.

• Describe the role of debt and equity in a firm’s capital structure.
• Identify the main issuers of bonds and the different types of bonds they issue.
• Describe the role of Primary Dealers in the US Government debt market.
• Explain the calculation of credit spreads and yields on a Bloomberg screen.
• Identify the trading conventions used by Foreign Exchange markets for both spot (immediate delivery) and forward (future delivery) transactions.