Units
Equity Trading Floor
Unit code: EFN424
Contact hours:
Credit points: 12
Information about fees and unit costs
The aim of the unit is to help students move away from the dualistic black and white way of thinking, towards being able to see issues from a range of viewpoints and perspectives, thereby enhancing their critical and technical ability.
Additionally, the unit aims to help improve the student research ability through the delivery of a large scale academic style portfolio that reflects their transition from theory to strategy and trading and reflection.
The unit is NOT designed to be taken as a traditional book learned class. Reading and knowledge is gained from many sources including case studies, books, jounals and newspapers.
Availability
| Semester | Available |
|---|---|
| 2013 Semester 2 | Yes |
Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2012
Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.
Rationale
Important Information about this Unit
There is an upper limit on the number of students able to take this class. Additionally, students will not be permitted to access this unit after completion of the week two lecture.
Rationale
The purpose of the unit is to offer students in business, economics and finance an understanding of financial markets from a very hands-
on applied viewpoint. The course will use a trading platform < http://www.ftsnet.com > that will provide the students with the tools to apply to the theory of trading, portfolio analysis, technical and fundamental concepts to practice - through a real time feed. (The students will be able to trade the ASX 50 with $1 million of equity to enable them to apply the theory to practice. The on line trading floor will enable the student to build a portfolio of shares and trading using historical and real time company information, with graphs, charts and company announcements to guide their choice). The unit will focus on institutional details, technical analysis, market efficiency and of course trading strategies to exploit the market.
Aims
The unit provides the self directed independent learner with a 'hands on' applied experience using the trading floor software to trade stocks. The student will be introduced to a set of theories and instruments that they will use to trade through the course. These theories will provide students with the techniques for evaluation of investments in the context of a portfolio.
Objectives
Course Learning Goals (Postgraduate)
The QUT Business School has established the Assurance of Learning (AOL) Goals to meet contemporary industry needs and standards. Achieving these learning outcomes will assist you to meet the desired graduate outcomes at QUT - aligned with other internationally renowned business schools. Students will develop the following capabilities relevant to a contemporary global and sustainable business environment:
Have knowledge and skills pertinent to a particular discipline (KS)
1.1 Well-researched knowledge and critical understanding applied to issues at the forefront of a specialised discipline area
1.2 Ability to select and use effectively a range of tools and technologies to locate and/or generate information appropriate to the disciplinary context
Be critical thinkers and effective problem solvers (CTA)
2.1 Apply logical, critical and creative thinking and judgement to generate appropriate solutions to problems in the disciplinary context
Be professional communicators in an intercultural context (PC)
3.1 Ability to create and present professional documents and/or reports using high levels of analysis/synthesis/evaluation for a range of contexts and audiences
3.2 Ability to orally communicate and justify ideas and information, at a professional level, for a variety of contexts and audiences, including peers and discipline specialists
Be able to work effectively in a Team Environment (TW)
4.1 Operate effectively and with flexibility to achieve common goals in collaborative settings, using a range of skills, including leadership, negotiation, reflection, proactivity and support for team members
Have a Social and Ethical Understanding (SEU)
5.1 Apply knowledge of the ethical, social and cultural dimensions relevant to business situations, including appropriate standards or codes of practice, to provide courses of action
Unit Objectives
After successfully completing this unit students should be able to:
1. Analyse data, both pictorially and statistically, through the use of fundamental and technical analysis. This will then enable the student to be able to assess a particular trade or strategy.
2. Describe techniques of portfolio creation.
3. Select and calculate the appropriate techniques to measure portfolio performance.
4. Evaluate empirical evidence on market efficiency with respect to the effects of various corporate announcements and events and how these have any impact on their portfolio.
5. Demonstrate an understanding of the structure of financial instruments.
The specific course learning goals and unit objectives that apply to this unit are shown in the assessment section of this unit outline.
Content
Topics covered include:
- Behavioural finance
- Efficient-market hypothesis (EMH)
- Technical analysis
- Fundamental analysis
- Portfolio management
- Structured products (CFD, CDS and more)
Approaches to Teaching and Learning
This is very much a self-driven, self-directed unit. It appeals to students with an active interest in the area of share trading or portfolio management. It will be very applied in nature where the theory will be presented to students. The student will then need to assess this theory and decide on their own strategy and trade duration and amount. A number of industry experts will attend lectures to present their view on these areas. In the past experts from government, bank, wealth management, and gearing companies have attended. This is part of the work integrated learning approach? that the university encourages so that students receive a real world, real time context to the subject area. Typically these expert lectures will be in the final weeks and therefore students should be able to direct informed questions to the guest presenters.
Assessment
Basis for Assessment
The assessment design for this unit is an attempt to get students to undertake higher order thinking rather than being passive receivers of knowledge and reflectors of information. Curriculum design, assessment, and a teaching/learning strategy simultaneously develops higher order thinking, disciplinary knowledge bases and practical skills by placing students in the active role of problem solvers confronted with an ill-structured problem that mirrors real-world problems. Comments/advice /a response ? will be provided at consultation where discussion of the assessment task can occur as the student is preparing the piece of work.
There will be three assessment tasks in total.Students will receive feedback in various forms throughout the semester which may include:
Assessment name:
Take Home Exam
Description:
Area of thought: Critical Analysis: Fundamental versus Technical analysis.
Student will be expected to undertake research in this area. This will be a chance for students to find their own voice and views backed- up by evidence from peer reviewed journals and other resources. It is expected that students will use many languages to present their case (graphical, statistical and written). The title will be provided in week two.
Length/Duration: 1,200 words
Formative or Summative: Formative and Summative
Relates to objectives:
Unit objectives: 1, 2, 3 and AOL goals: KS (1.1), (1,2), CTA (2.1), PC (3.1)
Weight:
25%
Internal or external:
Internal
Group or individual:
Individual
Due date:
Week 5
Assessment name:
Presentation; Reflective Diary
Description:
A presentation of a portfolio strategy lasting no longer than fifteen minutes. This will be presented in the at lecture. An example will be provided via the Blackboard site. The presentations will occur from week 2 until week 9 only. You will be allocated a time and date for this presentation. A reflective diary needs to be kept by all students and submitted at the end of the course. An example will be provided via the Blackboard site. The presentation is worth 10% and the tThe reflective diary is worth 10%.
Length/Duration: Presentation: 15 minutes; Reflective Diary: The written length of the diary depends on the trading each student does as it's a reflection of each trade.
Formative or Summative: Formative and Summative
Relates to objectives:
Unit objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and AOL goals: KS (1.1), (1.2), CTA (2.1), PC (3.1), (3.2)
Weight:
20%
Internal or external:
Internal
Group or individual:
Individual
Due date:
Weeks 2 to 13
Assessment name:
Portfolio
Description:
A full and extensive portfolio will be handed in at the end of the course. This will include a discussion of the theory, strategy, and critique and a full reflection of the trades that the student has undertaken throughout the course. A number of examples will be placed on the Blackboard site.
Length/Duration: 2,500 words
Formative or Summative: Formative and Summative
Relates to objectives:
Unit objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and AOL goals: KS (1.1), (1.2), CTA (2.1), PC (3.1), (3.2)
Weight:
55%
Internal or external:
Internal
Group or individual:
Individual
Due date:
Week 13
Academic Honesty
QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.
A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.
Resource materials
There are no prescribed texts in this area that we will be following. However substantial material will be made available to students through the use of journals, electronic media and Bloomberg as well as information derived from the trading floor software. Not all will be relevant to every student as this will depend on the strategy followed.
Risk assessment statement
There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with lectures or tutorials in this unit. You should, however, familiarise yourself with evacuation procedures operating in the buildings in which you attend classes and take the time to
view the Emergency video.
Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.
Last modified: 25-Jul-2012
