Course objectives
This course is designed for those who have recently started working in a commercial environment, typically within the first year or so of their Qualifying Work Experience. The course is designed to build on knowledge obtained in preparing for the SQE and to concentrate on the commercial aspects in a non-exam environment.
Typical content
- How the capital markets work
- Key issues on how markets (such as the LSE) have developed and latest issues
- The role of brokers and traders – being on the buy side or sell side of deals
- Financial statistics and data – how to read them and what they mean
- The different types of fund management and their relative strengths and weaknesses – from Insurance Funds and Unit Trusts through to Private Equity and Hedge Funds
- Key financial products – How they work and their commercial uses explained
- Equities and debt instruments including Gilts
- Insurance products such as Life Assurance, Pensions and Annuities
- Retailed products such as ISAs
- Derivatives explained in ways anyone can understand and apply, including Options, Forwards and Futures and Swaps
Typical practical work and case studies
- Commercial awareness quiz – how much do attendees know already?
- Selecting appropriate finance; debt, equity or more unusual alternatives. What are the commercial advantages and disadvantages?
- Asset Liability Matching and the use of derivatives by investment funds including pension funds – numerical examples
- What it is to be a fund manager
Duration and guideline fee
6 hours
£1,700
Recommended maximum group size – 40
Potts Financial Training 