75386 - INVESTMENTS

Conoscenze e abilità da conseguire

The purpose of the course is to evaluate investment decisions regarding asset allocation among alternative financial securities traded in the financial markets (bonds, stocks and derivatives). By the end of the course, students learn (a) how to evaluate the risk and the return associated with the securities traded in the financial markets (b) to effectively employ the modern portfolio theory in the selection of the securities.

Contenuti

This course examines the most widely recognized asset classes — bonds, stocks, derivatives, and crypto-assets — providing students with both theoretical foundations and practical insights into their valuation and management.

Table of Contents:

- Introduction to financial system.

- The role of the corporate governance for financial markets.

- Risk and Return of risky securities (stocks and bonds) and the role of the firm sustainability and climate transition.

- Portfolio theory: theory and practice (CAPM & APT).

- Market risk and portfolio management.

- An introduction to the Option trading.

- SPECIAL PART: A new asset class: crypto-assets and other token-securities.

Testi/Bibliografia

Primary Textbook

Bodie, Z., Kane, A., & Marcus, A. J. (11th Ed.) Investments. McGraw-Hill Education.

Additional Resources:

• Lecture slides & practice exercises (provided).

• Question bank for exam preparation.

• Booklet materials provided by the instructor.

Metodi didattici

Theoretical Sessions:
Each lecture introduces core concepts, models, and frameworks based on the textbook and scholarly research.

Traditional Tutorials:
Computations and model implementation to get prepared for the written exam.

Empirical Sessions:
Students will apply theory to real data using financial data tools: e.g., analyzing historical returns, bond yield curves, CAPM estimations, and crypto-asset data trends (e.g., Excel/STATA).

Meetings with Industry Experts:
Guest lectures or panels with managers and traders to bridge theory and industry practice.

It is worth noticing that where appropriate, students will discuss recent events and governance case cases.

Modalità di verifica e valutazione dell'apprendimento

Evaluation Methods

The final grade will be calculated as a weighted average of:

• Coursework Assignment(s): 25% - The coursework will be better described in the syllabus available in Virtuale.

• Final Exam: 75%

The final exam will be a written assessment that includes both multiple-choice and open-ended questions. Questions may cover theoretical concepts as well as practical exercises.

• The multiple-choice section will consist of 11 questions worth 2 points each.

• The open-ended section will include 3 questions worth 3 points each.

• The exam duration will be 50 minutes.
  

The final grade is measured on a 31-point scale; achieving the maximum score of 31 grants the student the cum laude honor.

This is the assessment grid:

(a) <18 insufficient;

(b) 18-23 sufficient;

(c) 24-27 average/good;

(d) 28-30 very good;

(e) 30 cum laude excellent/outstanding.

Strumenti a supporto della didattica

To support learning, the course will make use of various resources, including:

• Teaching slides covering key theories, models, and examples.

• Financial news and press release websites for up-to-date market developments.

• Specialized financial websites and databases for empirical data and real-world applications.

Orario di ricevimento

Consulta il sito web di Giovanni Cardillo