Católica-Lisbon SBE

Financial derivatives represent one of the key components of modern financial markets. The mere size of derivatives markets (futures, options, swaps, etc) dwarfs that of any other type of markets in existence and is measured in thousands of trillions of U.S. dollars. The key reason for that is that financial assets allow astute investors to easily change risk exposure of their investment portfolios and, thus, tailor them to their needs and desires.

The course provides an in-depth knowledge of corporate restructuring activities, with a focus on the linkages between corporate strategic & financial decisions and firm value. Its aim is to develop an understanding of modern corporate finance so that the corporate manager, the investment banker, and the financial analyst will have the conceptual foundations for making informed corporate assessments of key strategic financial decisions.

A closer look to credit markets will be done. In the recent years, several developments were reached allowing investors to reap the benefits of yield pick-up and diversification versus the traditional market offers. Alongside, several participants (mainly banks) are taking this opportunity to de-leverage risks from their own balance sheets, especially via securitization.

The aim of the course is to provide an extended overview of the current fixed income markets. Initially, the focus will be to characterize the different types of securities available across markets and to introduce the concepts relevant to value them. In this part, quantifying and understand interest rate risk will be determinant to properly price the all spectrum of assets.

The Quantitative Methods course introduces a set of statistical tools applied to finance, covering the following areas: Statistical Concepts and Market Returns; Probability Concepts; Common probability Distributions; Sampling and Estimation; Hypothesis Testing; Correlation and Regression; Time-Series Analysis.

The aim of this course is to develop an understanding of modern corporate finance so that the corporate manager, the investment banker, and the financial analyst will have the conceptual foundations for making informed corporate assessments of key financial decisions. The course puts significant emphasis on the interactions between capital markets and the value of the underlying real assets.

The purpose of this course is to acquire an overall understanding of corporate financial management, focusing on project valuation. At the end of the course, students should be able to:

- Understand the relationship between real markets and finance;

- Understand, develop and discuss a Project Valuation, Capital Budgeting Analysis;

- Understand, estimate and discuss the Cost of Capital for Projects and for Firms.

 

At the end of the course, the student should be able to:

- Introduce an international perspective on Financial Reporting Standards and International Standards Convergence;

- Understand Financial Statements preparation mechanisms;

- Address fundamental issues related to the recognition and measurement of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses items;

- Apply analytical tools to financial data to assess a company´s performance and trends.

A course on Ethics is first and foremost an inner trip in search of the ultimate reasons and purpose of life. The result must always be to place the presence of the final reasons of our existence in each of our daily activities The specific purpose of this course is to consider and analyze some of the main dilemmas which arise in life and work of the financial consultant. In the case of this profession there is a well-defined professional deontology which is the direct element of study.

The Economics course covers both microeconomic and macroeconomic topics, including the following: The basics of market equilibrium; Theory of consumer; Theory of the firm; Output and prices under different market structures; National accounting; Aggregate demand, aggregate supply, macroeconomic equilibrium and economic growth; The business cycle; Monetary and fiscal policies; International trade and monetary flows.