Financial Markets Masterclass
Next available dates will be Autumn 2013 • University of London Union
Whether you see yourself juggling a complex portfolio of stocks and bonds, or just want to know what went wrong and whether it can be fixed, the international financial system has a huge impact on all of our lives. Managing the modern money markets is a controversial and confusing business full of seemingly inpenetrable jargon, immensely powerful vested interests and extremely complex interactions.
The Financial Markets Masterclass offers the basic financial literacy essential to understanding the current economic situation, making wise investment decisions, and taking part in an informed debate about economic policy alternatives.
Masterclass Programme
Stocks, Shares, Gilts and Equities
What are stocks and shares? Who buys and sells, and why? How companies change hands – hostile takeovers, white knights and poison pills.
Stocks and the Market
How is stock performance indexed on different markets? How do we explain ‘unplanned fluctuations’? How do political agendas, or even specific news stories impact the stock markets? How do we know when an unsustainable bubble is emerging? How do individuals, organisations or governments manipulate the stock markets, and why? What are animal spirits and Keynesian beauty pagents? How to spot a dead cat bounce and why you should never catch a falling knife.
Government Bonds
Why do governments issue bonds? Who buys them and why? How do interest rates, currency values and international relations impact the bond market?
Foreign Exchanges
Why does the pound change its value against the dollar? How does this impact producers, consumers and investors? What does it mean for a currency to float freely, or be fixed? How and why may currency speculators launch an attack? What can governments do to protect their currency? What happened when the pound came under attack on ‘Black Wednesday’?
Banks and the Credit Crunch
What is the role of banks in the financial order? What is fractional reserve banking – why is it so vital and so risky? How did it all go wrong? Northern Rock, Freddie Mac and Fanny Mae, HBOS and Bear Stearns.
Ratings Agencies
Who are the ratings agencies that have been making so many headlines? How do they make their decisions and why are they so powerful?
How then, shall we invest?
Methods for analysing market dynamics and the strengths and weaknesses of particular firms. Is ‘beating the market’ really possible?
The Financial Markets Masterclass is open to all students aged 15-18, and is particularly recommended for anyone considering a career in finance or investment banking.
Download a poster to display in your school here.
Feedback From Previous Economics Events:
Very interesting and informative. It gave further insight into economics than is available from the A level course.
Wonderful. Really felt that I learnt a lot and explored areas of economics that I wasn’t previously aware of.
I enjoyed the interactivity of the course; the variety of the topics covered and the profusion of handouts we were given.
Really good! Informative discussions and good teaching. Got everyone involved and looked at lots of different areas.
Excellent exploration of different sides of the economic policy debates.The tutors had an outstanding level of knowledge and were able to make explanations tangible with constant references to current affairs.
Fantastic! Very fun tutor explained things incredibly well with many analogies and examples to liven up the atmosphere.
Extremely useful to me. The tutors were engaging and clear.
I enjoyed the whole course – looking deeply at how preferences work helped me see somewhat more realist approaches to events, which contrasted to the very conceptual AS level.
The course allowed us to look at areas not covered by the school syllabus and increased my understanding of economics greatly.
I thought it brilliantly applied economics to real life!
Book a place
The fee for the Financial Markets Masterclass is £95 per student. Places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Debate Chamber offers a limited number of full and partial bursaries for students who would otherwise have difficulty attending. To book a place please email info@debatechamber.com, call 0845 519 4827 or fill out the form below.
If you are applying for a fees bursary please do not fill in the form below, instead please complete the Bursary Application – Student Form.
If you are a teacher and interested in holding a Financial Markets event at your school please click here.