Derivatives: Forwards, Futures, Swaps, and Options

Catalog description

The market for financial instruments called derivatives has experienced dramatic growth over the years. Market participants use derivatives (commonly various types of forwards, futures, swaps, and options) to transfer and manage risks regarding practically anything (e.g., from common ones, including financial assets such as stocks and indices, or commodities such as oil, corn, and wheat, to more niche ones such as weather), as well as express views on market outcomes about them and trade to make profit. My goal is to help students develop strong intuition and build the skills necessary to understand, value, and use derivatives. In order to provide a useful treatment of the topics suitable for a rapidly changing environment, I will stress fundamental concepts and emphasize important applications throughout the course.