ECONOMICS OF FINANCIAL MARKETS AND INVESTMENTS

This is one of the main courses that characterize the Master's Degree in Economics and Finance, curriculum Economics and Finance. The 12-ECTS course on the whole has common objectives, learning outcomes, contents and teaching methods that are described as follows. The course aims to provide financial and economic skills related to the economy of markets and financial investments. Particular attention is paid to the functioning of the financial markets, to the theory of the portfolio and to the formation of the prices of the basic financial instruments and to the management of financial investments. The course is divided into two parts. In the first part of this course taught in the third period (which accounts for the first 6-ECTSs), the course focuses on portfolio theory and on the formation of the prices of financial instruments. The second part taught in the fourth period (which accounts for the second 6-ECTSs) focuses on investment management, performance measures and innovative finance. The discussion of the various topics will be addressed to the understanding of the mechanisms that lead to the determination of the general equilibrium in the financial markets and to the application problems in the choice of financial investments. Particular attention will be given to the use of finance theory for the resolution of operational problems. For this reason during the course will be discussed simple case studies in order to apply the acquired knowledge.