+44 207 459 4445 info@perfiliev.com
Introduction to Financial Markets
Explore the financial industry, its products and market players.
Coming soon
Starts in:
  • – – Days
  • – – Hours
  • – – Min
  • – – Sec
Course category:
Foundational
Location:
Online
Duration:
2 days
Time:
6 hours/day
Class size:
25 students
Discover how financial markets work, who trades them and why.

An Introduction to Financial Markets is a practical and comprehensive training course, covering a range of topics – from the financial industry and its market players, through to financial products and their use.

It requires absolutely no prior financial knowledge and is suitable for all backgrounds.

What will you learn?
By the end of the course, you will:
  1. Develop a solid understanding of the financial markets landscape, its major participants and their roles.
  2. Find out about macroeconomic factors and how they drive the financial markets.
  3. Understand the mechanics behind securities trading.

  4. Distinguish between different types of asset classes and investment products.
  5. Appreciate various funding methods for companies and governments.
  6. Recognize the role of interest rates on the markets and economy.
  7. Find out about factors that influence FX rates and how they are determined.
  8. Identify and measure risks of bonds and debt investing.
  9. Figure out why commodities trade through futures contracts.
  10. Be able to explain various financial derivatives types and their use.
And much more!
Who is the course for?
  • Beginner traders and investors, looking to learn more about financial markets.
  • Professionals within the financial industry or those providing services to the financial sector.
  • Professionals performing financial functions in non-financial industries, such as corporate treasury, accounting, and investor relations.
  • Students, preparing for an upcoming internship or starting their careers in finance.
  • Anyone working in or looking to understand financial markets.
Who is teaching the course?

Sergei Perfiliev

  • Active trader specializing in Equity Derivatives and Volatility trading.
  • Former Goldman Sachs Quantitative Analyst.
  • Working in finance since 2008.
  • Professional career includes Nomura, Bloomberg and Goldman Sachs.
  • Cross asset-class experience covering Equities, Fixed Income, FX and Commodities.
  • Teaching financial courses since 2013.
  • Holds Masters of Engineering from Imperial College London.
  • Holds Masters of Science in Mathematical Finance from University of Oxford.
Course Content:
Day 1
  1. Financial Markets and Players:
    • Capital and financial markets.
    • Overview of the four main asset classes.
    • Financial institutions and market players.
    • The Sell Side: investment banks.
    • Buy Side: hedge funds, pension funds, insurance firms, sovereign wealth funds, and mutual funds.
    • Market players: investors, traders, speculators, and arbitrageurs.
  2. Macroeconomics:
    • Overview of macroeconomic concepts.
    • GDP and economic growth.
    • Imports and exports.
    • Employment and labor markets.
    • Interest Rates and the role of Central Banks.
    • Impact of macroeconomy on financial markets.
  3. Market Dynamics and Trading:
    • The concept of liquidity.
    • Market making and market taking.
    • Exchange and OTC trading.
    • Role of the exchange.
    • Quote types and trades.
    • Order-driven and quote-driven markets.
    • Risk in financial markets.
  4. Yield Curve and Time Value of Money:
    • Time value of money.
    • Discounting and compounding.
    • Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR).
    • Zero-coupon, fixed-coupon and floating-coupon bonds.
    • Interest rate yield curve and its shapes.
Day 2
  1. Fixed Income Markets:
    • Interest rate benchmarks.
    • Credit ratings and rating agencies.
    • Investment grade, high-yield and junk bonds.
    • Government and sovereign debt.
    • Corporate bonds.
  2. Equity Markets:
    • Share types and classes.
    • Financial statements.
    • Stock pricing and valuation.
    • IPOs and corporate actions.
    • Equity funds and stock indices.
  3. Foreign Exchange Markets:
    • Functioning of the FX markets.
    • Currency regimes.
    • The FX quote.
    • FX rate determination.
    • Strong or a weak currency?
  4. Commodities:
    • Commodity types.
    • Market players trading commodities.
    • Financial futures and market conventions.
    • Futures curve – contango and backwardation.
    • Cost of carry and convenience curve.
  5. Financial Derivatives Overview:
    • Futures and forwards.
    • Options.
    • Swaps.
What’s the format?
Dynamic in-class lectures.
Practical assignments and exercises.
Interactive demos and examples.
Challenging quizzes and tests.
Next available dates and pricing:
Introduction to Financial Markets
  • Course category:
    Foundational
  • Location:
    Online
  • Duration:
    2 days
  • Class size:
    25 students
Date to be confirmed
Status
Coming soon
Keep me updated
What will you get upon completion?
  • Formal completion certificate.
  • Course notes and materials.
  • Follow-up support – ability to ask questions and seek further clarification, if needed.
What our training participants say?
Yoshi
Investment Professional
“Sergei is one of the best instructors I have ever met. He understands people learn in different ways and can adjust his teaching style. I would highly recommend him, especially when you are trying to learn something complicated or you want to learn something quickly.”
Igor
Data Analyst
“Amazing training! Sergei does a great job at explaining the concepts using simple analogies which makes the complex world of finance very clear.”
Vlad
Financial Sales
“Sergei is a very good teacher, and is able to explain clearly complex concepts. I felt his course was time well spent.”
Eric
Machine Learning Engineer
“Sergei’s lucid explanations helped me get a deeper grasp of the concepts I was grappling with, whilst giving me a new perspective on the material. I credit him with getting me up to speed when I needed it most.”
Donald
Software Engineer
“I attended Sergei's derivatives training a few years ago. Sergei clearly explained what they are, the motivation behind them and how they're traded in concrete terms. After the training I had a solid understandings on the topic and I would recommend Sergei's training.”
Alex
Financial Sales
“As part of a financial training program, Sergei equipped me with the knowledge that I am still benefiting from seven years later. He has an ability to deliver complex subject material in a digestible way.”
Babak
Head of Pricing
“Sergei has a dynamic approach to teaching and his ability to breakdown complex commercial concepts makes learning easy and memorable. I still remember his enthusiasm after 7 years and always happy to learn from him.”
Jovana
Account Executive
“Sergei held one of the best training sessions on equity derivatives at the onset of my career in finance. He was able to put together a fully comprehensive and detailed yet digestible programme. His strength is delivering complex concepts in a simplified and engaging manner.”
Marius
Financial Software Engineer
“Sergei taught me statistics in the context of equity asset prices and he managed to help me finally connect the maths to the real life applications of it. He's very practical and effective in helping you understand hard concepts.”
Anna
Accounts Manager
“Sergei led various financial trainings and I really enjoyed his teaching style and dedication to his students. He always made sure students were engaged and understood the topic before moving on. I would recommend Sergei for his professionalism and deep knowledge.”
Paul
Financial Software Developer
"An excellent presenter and an enjoyable course, complex material presented in an approachable fashion."
Vikram
Quantitative Developer
“Sergei's sessions were great! He always made them engaging and fun.”
Frequently Asked Questions:
What payment methods do you accept?

We accept all major credit and debit cards, and PayPal.

What if I need to cancel my booking?

You can cancel your booking and receive a full refund up to one month in advance of the course start date.

If you made a booking for a seminar that starts in less than one month, you can cancel for a full refund within the 14 days of making the booking.

In case if we are unable to deliver a course in a physical classroom and had to move it online due to COVID-19, you can also cancel and request a full refund if you don’t want to attend the course virtually.

Are there any pre-requisites in order to attend this course?

This course is aimed at individuals who have very little knowledge about the financial markets and there are no pre-requisites required in order to attend this course.

Will I become a rich and successful trader after attending this course?

Trading profitably and consistently is not trivial, and like with any other skill, it requires a lot of studying, hard-work, dedication and persistence in order to master.

Our “Introduction to Financial Markets” training course is an excellent starting point, but definitely not sufficient in order to start trading financial markets profitably.

Want to run this training in-house?

Get in touch!

All our training courses can be tailored to your company needs and requirements.

Feel free to call us on +44 207 459 4445 or email info@perfiliev.co.uk and we’d be happy to help.

Learn more
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