Connect with IMF Institute
Online- Financial Market Analysis

Financial Market Analysis (FMAx)

Deadline passed

Session No.: OL 23.114

Location: Course conducted online

Date: January 1, 2023 - April 15, 2023 (15 weeks)

Delivery Method: Online Training

Primary Language: English

Target Audience

All government officials are welcome to register. The course is particularly well-suited for officials in central banks, ministries of finance, and regulatory agencies who have experience with macroeconomics and are interested in building their expertise in finance. The course is offered in English.

Back to top

Qualifications

Participants are expected to have some familiarity with basic statistics and probability techniques.

Back to top

Pre-requisites

Basic Microsoft Excel skills and access to a computer with a reliable Internet connection and a Google Chrome web browser are essential.

Back to top

Course Description

This online course, presented by the Institute for Capacity Development, introduces participants to the fundamentals of financial analysis that are in the toolkit of policy makers. These tools are used to study the characteristics of various financial instruments and their pricing, analyze portfolios of assets, gaining familiarity with the basics of risk management. Mastery is essential for participants who wish to participate in more advanced and policy-oriented IMF courses in financial or macrofinancial areas. The FMAx course covers, among other topics, the pricing of fixed-income securities and equity; the term structure of interest rates; portfolio allocation and diversification; and an introduction to risk management.

Back to top

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants should be able to:

  • Price a variety of financial assets (money market instruments, bonds, and equities) using the present value (PV) principle.
  • Measure and compare different yield measures for financial assets.
  • Construct and estimate a yield curve on the basis of readily available information and use several theories to interpret its behavior.
  • Relate differences in the valuation of single equities or markets to economic fundamentals.
  • Construct an optimal portfolio of risky assets using historical return data and assess likely changes in its composition as macroeconomic conditions change.
  • Assess the market risk of an investment by calculating its value at risk (VaR), stressed VaR, and expected shortfall, and use back-testing to evaluate the accuracy of past VaR.
Back to top

Apply Now - Application deadline approaching:

IMF offers online training to government officials and the public. Click Learn more to find our current offerings.

Inclusive Growth (IG)

English | June 2-13, 2025 | In-person Training | Vienna, Austria

Apply online by March 9, 2025

Macroeconomics of Climate Change (MCC)

English (French) | May 5-16, 2025 | In-person Training | Ebene, Mauritius

Apply online by March 11, 2025

Confronting Macro-Critical Corruption (CMCC)

English | May 19-23, 2025 | In-person Training | Singapore, Singapore

Apply online by March 12, 2025

Peer Learning Course on CFT

English (Arabic) | May 4-8, 2025 | In-person Training | Kuwait City, Kuwait

Apply online by March 13, 2025

Macroeconomic Diagnostics (MDS)

English | May 25, 2025 - June 5, 2025 | In-person Training | Kuwait City, Kuwait

Apply online by March 13, 2025