A Complete Guide to Investing

Course Description

This course teaches you the securities market, the various types of investment securities (stocks, bond, options, futures, tax-advantaged investments, mutual funds, etc.), and the risk-return characteristics of each. It focuses on the principles and tools of investment analysis, asset allocation, portfolio selection and management. The course tells you what are available to invest in, the features of each type of investment, the advantages and disadvantages of each investment category, including global investing, and when a particular investment type might be suitable for you.

Learning objectives

• a:4:{i:0;s:139:"Differentiate between the different types of investments, financial versus real assets, direct versus indirect, and liquid versus illiquid.";i:1;s:97:"Identify the features and attributes of stocks and bonds, and the drawbacks and benefits of each.";i:2;s:57:"Recognize various aspects of securities and transactions.";i:3;s:88:"Identify advantages and disadvantages of buying stock on margin and selling stock short.";}
• a:4:{i:0;s:70:"Recognize the income and return on investments and how it is measured.";i:1;s:81:"Identify different investment risk factors and how they affect investment return.";i:2;s:76:"Identify the benefits and objectives of fundamental analysis of investments.";i:3;s:77:"Recognize key financial ratios and how they are applied financial statements.";}
• a:3:{i:0;s:42:"Recognize the tools of technical analysis.";i:1;s:82:"Identify the key indicators of market and stock performance and how they are used.";i:2;s:46:"Recognize the characteristics of common stock.";}
• a:3:{i:0;s:45:"Recognize the characteristics of common stock";i:1;s:46:"Differentiate price/earnings ratio approaches.";i:2;s:134:"Recognize the characteristics of the different types of bonds including agencies, types, bond yields, interest rates, prices and risk.";}
• a:3:{i:0;s:64:"Recognize the key terms and attributes for investing in options.";i:1;s:106:"Recognize key attributes of futures contracts and commodities and how they relate to investment decisions.";i:2;s:80:"Identify the uses of and differences between various types of financial futures.";}
• a:4:{i:0;s:55:"Recognize the advantages and risks of global investing.";i:1;s:59:"Identify the methods of investing in international markets.";i:2;s:98:"Recognize the attributes of tax advantaged investments like real estate investment trusts (REITs).";i:3;s:83:"Identify the advantages and disadvantages of the various types of retirement funds.";}
• a:4:{i:0;s:63:"Recognize the attributes of mutual funds, index funds and ETFs.";i:1;s:48:"Identify how to reduce risk and allocate assets.";i:2;s:66:"Recognize the use of beta coefficients to adjust asset allocation.";i:3;s:91:"Recognize different investment strategies for different stages and different goals in life.";}

Final examination expiration date:

The program participant will have one year from the date of purchase to complete the course and final examination.