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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Global Financial Markets and Instruments by Rice University

4.5
stars
2,133 ratings

About the Course

Get a running start in the high-stakes world of financial investment! This first course is designed to help you become an informed investor by providing you with the essential concepts for long-term success in managing money. You’ll start by learning the role of financial markets and financial assets in a well-functioning economy. From there, you’ll learn about the wide range of financial instruments available in major asset classes, their features and valuations. You’ll explore how financial markets actually operate in the real world, focusing on how and where securities are traded and how various market types differ from one another in practice. You will also learn the basics of algorithmic trading, dark pools, buying on margin and short selling. By the end of the course, learners will be able to: • List and distinguish the different financial instruments available to an investor • Compare global financial markets • Explain the features of equity, debt, and derivative instruments • Define traditional and alternative asset classes • Discuss different trading venues and mechanics of securities trading • Discuss the current trends affecting today’s financial markets This course is designed to be accessible for students of all knowledge levels and gives you the actionable foundation needed to manage money in a post-crisis world. ________________________________________ WEEK 1 Module 1: Introduction & Review of Elementary Finance Tools This module introduces the Investment and Portfolio Management Specialization, which is made up of four courses. This module discusses how the first course, Global Financial Markets and Assets, is organized. It outlines the different stages of the investment management process, which guides the focus of the Specialization. It also reviews basic finance concepts and tools such as time value of money, computing returns, discounting and compounding. Topics covered include: • Familiarize with the organization of the class • Meet the professor and your peers • Explain the investment management process • Review elementary concepts in finance • Compute present value or future value of a single cash flow • Compute present value of future value of a stream of cash flows • Define an annuity or perpetuity • Apply time value of money tools to solve basic mortgage, loan or retirement problems ________________________________________ WEEK 2 Module 2: Financial system & financial assets: fixed income securities In this and the next two modules, we cover the key institutional features of financial markets and instruments. We ask the following questions: Why do financial markets exist? What role do they play? What are financial assets and how are they different than real assets? How does it all come together? Basically, this is where I hope you will get to see the big picture of the entire financial system and how it comes together. Module 2 focuses on fixed income securities. We'll get started with a review of basics of bond valuation. You will learn about short-term money market instruments, U.S. Treasury securities as well as corporate bonds. After module 2, you will be able to describe fixed income securities, be familiar with their institutional features, and identify their cash flows. Finally, you will learn how to value fixed income securities such as Treasury bills, zero-coupon or coupon-bonds and compute yields. Topics covered include: • Explain the roles of financial markets • Distinguish between real and financial assets • Define and explain money market instruments, zero-coupon and coupon- bonds and features • Identify the cash flows associated with fixed-income securities • Define and explain bond market features • List the different types of Treasury securities and explain pricing and quoting conventions • List and define other long-term debt instruments such as corporate bonds, mortgage-backed securities, sovereign debt • Find the value of a zero-coupon or coupon-bonds ________________________________________ WEEK 3 Module 3: Financial system & financial assets: equity securities and derivatives In Module 3, we continue our overview of financial markets and instruments. We next focus on two other major asset classes: equity securities and derivative instruments. You will learn about how equity differs from fixed income securities, the cash flows associated with stock and preferred stock and how to find the value of a share. You will also learn about option strategies. After completing module 3, you will be able to describe all major asset classes, including derivative instruments such as options, forwards and futures. You will be able to explain how these differ from each other and their payoffs. Topics covered include: • Distinguish between equities and fixed income securities • Define and explain the features of equity securities • Identify the cash flows associated with equity securities • Explain dividend discount model • Find the value of a share of common stock or preferred stock • Define and list different types of derivative securities • Explain option payoffs • Distinguish between a forward and futures contract • Explain forward and futures payoffs • Identify traditional and alternative asset classes ________________________________________ WEEK 4 Module 4: Organization of financial markets and securities trading In this module, we discuss how financial markets actually work. We will talk about different trading venues and the mechanics of securities trading. I will emphasize a lot of terminology and the latest trends in securities trading to familiarize you with the institutional workings of financial markets. After this module, you will be able to compare different trading venues, trading mechanisms, and be able to explain different types of orders, including transactions like margin buying and short- selling; you will be familiar with the language and terminology you need in order to become an informed practitioner of investments. Topics covered include • Explain the roles of corporations, households, government, and financial intermediaries in the financial system • Explain price discovery process • Define different type of orders • Distinguish between dealer vs. auction markets; different trading platforms • Explain margin buying and short-selling transactions • Understand the current trading environment such as algorithmic or high frequency trading, dark pools etc....

Top reviews

OY

Apr 17, 2022

The subject was simplified for beginners in the field of financial market instruments. Instructor explained all the details very clearly. Overall I had a very positive experience with the class

AI

Jun 17, 2020

Global Financial Markets and Instruments is a MUST. Excellent instruction! I truly appreciate the opportunity to receive this course from such a prestigious University - Rice University.

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351 - 375 of 421 Reviews for Global Financial Markets and Instruments

By RAGSHANA A

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Nov 9, 2020

perfect course

By CHABANE M A

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Apr 1, 2023

very helpfull

By Yadhu K

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Aug 30, 2022

Its Awesome

By Neelkanth S M

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Sep 24, 2019

I was good

By ANTON G

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Jan 20, 2022

too brief

By YashKumar S

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Jun 24, 2020

good one!

By nityaaditya n

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Sep 29, 2020

great

By Ram Y

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Aug 25, 2024

Good

By Saumya R

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Jul 16, 2020

best

By Shady A

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Jul 4, 2021

the course is very informative but I would say the material is shallowly explained

many sessions I had to go online on several websites to understand about the subject in more depth which is essential for solving the quizzes (course's Duty) and also to the whole leaning process .

for Example :

Calculating the rate of return on a specified instrument was very hard when there are many future years (5 years from now) it would be a fraction's denominator powered by 5 and 4 and 3 ,the lectures didn't even mention anything on how to calculate this argument

on the Equity chapter for example it's not clear which formula should be used and in what situations. (even after going back on the lectures 3 Times) This made me fail several times the financial assets summary Exam- week3 (see the forum on how many questions there are on this section- not answered)

Arzu is a great teacher but she should go more in the specifics, even though this is a beginner level course, we're talking about investing here

I don't see the forum useful, there is no movement there, people/staff/instructor Rarely reply (Exploded questions unanswered for 6 months already and no body cares)

I would say: go learn Investing somewhere else or read on google.

By J. I B

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Jan 12, 2021

The material is very well organized, compacted, digested. That's great. My big concern has been the lack of support in the forums. That's fundamental to me and I didn't get almost any answers to my questions neither from instructors nor others. Also would be great if the accompanying notes to the videos have the complete examples. Also a little more detail on types of order details would be very useful. Overall I'm satisfied with the course and gonna keep with the rest of the series.

By ppietrus

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Sep 20, 2024

Interesting topics but this is really an intro only. Initial modules are a bit more thorough than subsequent ones (there are actually formulas - mostly explained how to calculate things), but once we get to stocks trading, margins and short selling it is more and more general. Nonetheless the material is interesting and it does provide a general overview of what is what.

By DONNA C

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Nov 28, 2020

The course material was extensive. Numbers are not my deal, so the 3 was more my limited knowledge than the content of the course and the instructor. I still struggle with numbers and word problems. But i was satisfied with the course material and the presentation of the materials.

By Jeremiah Z

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Apr 30, 2020

Most of the formulas presented are either inaccurate or not sufficiently described. The general framework is good, but formulas should be clearer and accurate. I had to look into other online materials to get better explanation. This should not be so.

By Matteo E

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Dec 27, 2017

A good overall view of the markets and the investible world. It would get 5 stars if there was a broader analysis of different asset classes (i.e. annuity vs annuity due, etc...) and the accompanying notes were more detailed.

By Justin L

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Jun 9, 2019

The quizzes included either pretty difficult math questions or pretty simple definition questions. I have gained a high level understanding of the various methods of investment from this course.

By Hang L

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Aug 21, 2024

Not so well structured. Some details are mentioned wrongly (in the lecture and the quiz) so I had a hard time with the calculations. Overall knowledge is good and helpful.

By Jigar M

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Jul 28, 2024

There are some shortcuts taken in example, which are not explained anywhere. And then there is no one solve the doubts, and the whatsapp request does not get accepted.

By Steven H

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Mar 15, 2022

While the content is really practical. On a number of occassions the questions on the quiz used methods or ideas that weren't really showed how to apply in the class.

By Sergio L

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May 19, 2020

En general el curso me ha resultado util y puedo decir que cuento con un buen acercamiento a los temas. Pareciera faltarle profundidad en algunos contenidos.

By José G S V

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Apr 5, 2020

The profesor is great as well as the material in the course.Please help us to respond concers in forums & some issues that are still in the videos.

By Shreya O

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Jun 16, 2021

the course is well aligned with the US market however as a beginner it would be difficult for you to relate, if you are not from US.

By M I K

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Nov 13, 2018

Course was good but I think the teacher Dr.O wasn't convinving at all. I find it really difficult in understanding her lectures.

By Olga A

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Jul 5, 2021

The course is very basic and provides only shallow knowledge. You get familiarized with terms and concepts but no more.

By Qin L

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Aug 14, 2019

Many errors in notes, a little bit wasting of time to review. More formulas will be better to understand