Free Information that's Easy to Use in Your Portfolio (formerly Market Trends)

In this one-day, hands-on computer workshop, participants will use the Internet to collect data and then select a security to buy. New investment vehicles allow participants to buy gold bullion as well as equities, bonds, foreign currencies and other hard assets. Starting with a definition of the US treasury yield curve, this workshop progresses to selecting a specific investment to buy for one's personal or professional portfolio. In addition to gathering Federal Reserve data and technical indicators from the Internet, it provides benchmarks for evaluating this information. No math is required.

10-Sep-2012 -- 10-Sep-2012StamfordUSD$1575
NY Institute of Finance - Stamford, CT9:00am - 4:30pm Instructional Method:
Group-Live
Instructor(s): [ Deborah Weir; ] Mon Level: Basic

CPE CREDITS
7.0
Anyone who must forecast the economy or the direction of the stock market, manages his own or others' portfolios, or who supports portfolio managers.
No advance preparation required.
Students will be able to:
  • Demonstrate a practical understanding of the core concepts of asset allocation and security selection
  • Develop hands-on Internet skills with specific web sites for locating data
  • Build a specific model for allocating assets among fixed income, equities, hard assets, foreign currencies
  • Demonstrate application of these skills to forecast the direction of the economy and the stock market
  • Select a specific security to buy for one's personal portfolio or for a professional portfolio at work
Attendees must have some basic skill in navigating the Internet. A basic understanding of the Federal Reserve System is helpful. Math is not required.
"Mrs. Weir is an excellent instructor. I enjoyed this course immensely."
  • Securities Analysis - Day
  • Securities Analysis - Evening
  • Fusion Analysis Suite
  • Fusion Analysis
  • Options Volatility Trading
    • I. Global Yield Curves
    • Define the yield curve, understand its importance and locate data sources
    • Understand the Federal Reserve and how it uses the shape of the yield curve to forecast the economy one year ahead. (Compute GDP for one year from today.)
    • Explore Federal Reserve open market operations' affect on asset classes
    • Find data on the Internet
    • Examine theory of sector rotation

    II. Credit Spreads

    • Define bond quality spreads, find data sources
    • Use quality spreads to provide a shorter-term stock market forecast

    III. Central Bank Activities

    • Influence on yield curve
    • Influence on currency exchange rates
    • .

    IV. Use These Tools to Forecast Global Markets

    • GDP
    • Equity markets
    • Inflation
    • Currency exchange rates

    Session 2: Security Selection

    • Define terms for exchange-traded funds
    • Compare cost/benefit of EFT's and mutual funds
    • Select a security or an option to buy
    • Post investment decision (if desired) and rationale on a blog: http://timingthemarket.blogspot.com

    Lunch is included for all students taking day classes.