Course detail

Corporate Policy and Investment Strategy

FP-EcpisPDAcad. year: 2020/2021

Overview
A lot of financial market activity involves the analysis and management of portfolios of securities. Banks, Pension Funds, Insurance Companies and Corporations all have treasury functions whose main purpose in the efficient and effective management of portfolios of assets. Economic theory provides a sound underpinning to portfolio analysis and management.

Language of instruction

English

Number of ECTS credits

7

Learning outcomes of the course unit

a. Articulate critical understanding of issues using theories and conceptual frameworks for explaining and guiding economic activities in organisations both nationally and internationally.

b. Demonstrate ability to make recommendations for organisational practice from theoretical insights through a process of applied learning.

c. Demonstrate aptitude for independent critical thought
and rational inquiry.

d. Demonstrate proficiency in using techniques of research and enquiry to draw conclusions from critical evaluation of relevant economic issues.
e. Analyse a variety of relevant data used within the economics discipline in diverse contexts to support effective decision making.
f. Communicate key issues and arguments in written and oral format to a professional standard.
g. Effectively use information and communication technologies relevant to the economics discipline.
h. Make decisions and exercise judgement in organisational settings when faced with a range of alternative courses of action.

Prerequisites

This course assumes prior knowledge of finance and statistics.

Co-requisites

Not applicable.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Not applicable.

Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes

Essay in applied economics, featuring presentation of data analysis
3,500 word (maximum, exclusive of data appendixes)

Course curriculum

• Risk and Return Trade-Off
• Risk Aversion and Capital Allocation to Risky Assets
• Portfolio Theory-Optimal Risky Portfolio
• Single Index Model
• The Capital Asset Pricing Theory
• The Arbitrage Pricing Theory
• Portfolio Performance Evaluation

Work placements

Not applicable.

Aims

Aims
• Immerse students into the economic rationale for holding securities and the analysis of structuring and managing portfolios of securities.
• Become familiar with the fundamental concepts of financial economics, to be equipped for further study in more advanced topics and modules in finance.
• To learn how economists model the behaviour of investors under conditions of uncertainty and how to apply theoretical models in both asset pricing and the evaluation of capital market efficiency.
• Methods of measuring the performance of portfolios will also be analysed.

Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences

Attendance at lectures is not compulsory, but is recommended. Attendance at seminars is checked by the tutor. Lessons are composed on the basis of weekly schedules. Way of substituting missed lessons is fully in competence of a teacher.

Recommended optional programme components

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Bodie Z, Kane A and Marcus A (2008). Investments, 8th Edition, New York: McGraw-Hill. (EN)
Elton E J, Gruber M J, Brown S J. and Goetzmann W N (2010). Modern Portfolio Theory and Investment Analysis, 8th Edition, New York: John Wiley. (EN)
Fabozzi F J, Neave E H and Zhou G (2012). Financial Economics, New York: John Wiley. (EN)

Recommended reading

Not applicable.

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

60 hours, optionally

Teacher / Lecturer