Course Category

Introducing The City - Online

Introducing the City takes participants behind the elegant facades of the great financial institutions to reveal the City of London as a major center of global banking and finance. Introducing the City explores the major financial and banking players, the products and services these players offer, and the regulatory environment surrounding the financial markets, including the new European Union regulations. Finally, this curriculum compares the London market with its peers in New York, Frankfurt and Tokyo.

Please note that this is a curriculum of individual course modules. You will need to pass each module exam in order to qualify for a certificate of completion.

This is an asynchronous eLearning program that can be accessed 24/7 from any internet enabled computer.

• Identify the kinds of markets, products and services found in the City.
• Recognise the difference between primary and secondary markets.
• Describe what a central bank does
• Recognise the nature and roles of banks, savings and investment products and institutions.
• Identify the types of brokers and their roles.
• Describe the role of venture capital companies and other funding sources for new businesses.
• Recognise the concept of domestic money markets, the purpose they serve, and the major players who participate in the money markets.
• Identify uses of the major money markets and how such markets influence economic stability.
• Recognise the advantages and disadvantages of listing a company
• Describe how a company is brought to market
• Explain many of the terms and phrases used in connection with a listing on the stock market
• Types of shares and their characteristics
• Rights issues, bonus issues, and the valuation of rights
• How shares are traded on primary and secondary markets
• Valuing shares using P/E ratios
• Describe the pros and cons of government and corporate bonds
• Discuss the significance of credit ratings
• Explain how bond prices are affected by changes in interest rates
• Identify various types of bonds and bond market terms
• Identify the major players and products in the foreign exchange market.
• Recognise the difference between spot and forward rates.
• Explain the difference between bid and offer rates.
• Descibe the underlying factors that influence the market values of currencies.
• Identify the fundamentals and uses of futures contracts
• Recognise the basics of options contracts: the difference between calls and puts, and using them to manage risk