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Financial Institutions and Markets for Beginners
An overview of key financial institutions and marketsPreview the first lesson free — get full access to all 9 lessons.
Beginner Provider : Mary Donner 9 Lessons · 24m in Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese
Course Description
In this course, you will learn about the different types of financial institutions. Banks, credit unions, brokerage companies, and insurance companies are all key financial institutions that serve businesses and individual consumers. You will also learn about the merits of both mainstream and non-mainstream markets and how to evaluate your investments so that you make the most appropriate choice for achieving your overall financing requirements.
This course also covers the different financial products offered on financial markets, like common and preferred corporate stock, bonds, commodities, and futures. You will also learn about IPOs, or initial public offerings, and how corporations transition from being privately held to publicly held after an IPO. Whether you want to invest in a mainstream market product like a mutual fund or explore the non-mainstream markets and invest in ETFs, non-financial investments, or cryptocurrencies, this course will help you understand the basic structure of the financial market. This course provides an overview of the different investment options, their suitability, and their availability in current financial markets. You will also learn about personal financial planning and saving, which can help you set and achieve your financial goals. You will learn how to assess your own spending and saving habits and how to evaluate the assets you already own. This information will help you build a budget and begin saving your money for the future.
What You'll Learn
- Identify the different types of financial institutions, including banks, credit unions, brokerage companies, and insurance companies
- Identify financial products such as common and preferred corporate stock, bonds, commodities, and futures
- Evaluate investment vehicles across both mainstream markets (like mutual funds) and non-mainstream markets (like ETFs, non-financial investments, and cryptocurrencies)
- Formulate a personal financial plan by assessing your spending and saving habits and the assets you already own
- Explain how IPOs work and how corporations transition from privately held to publicly held
- Build a budget and begin saving toward your financial goals
Key Takeaways
- Banks, credit unions, brokerage companies, and insurance companies are key financial institutions serving both businesses and individual consumers.
- Financial markets offer a range of products including common and preferred corporate stock, bonds, commodities, and futures.
- Through an initial public offering (IPO), a corporation transitions from being privately held to publicly held.
- Investment options span mainstream markets, such as mutual funds, and non-mainstream markets, such as ETFs, non-financial investments, and cryptocurrencies.
- Assessing your spending and saving habits and evaluating assets you already own helps you build a budget and save for the future.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is this course for?
It is designed for beginners who want to understand the basic structure of financial institutions and markets, whether they want to invest in a mainstream market product like a mutual fund or explore non-mainstream markets such as ETFs, non-financial investments, or cryptocurrencies.
What topics does this course cover?
The course covers types of financial institutions, financial markets and products (including stocks, bonds, commodities, and futures), IPOs, personal financial planning and saving, investment for personal wealth building, foreign and alternative exchanges, and cryptocurrency and derivatives.
What skills will I gain from this course?
You will learn to identify financial markets and financial products, evaluate investment vehicles, and formulate a financial plan, covering areas such as commercial finance, credit institutions, financial services, and financial education.
Does the course help with personal finance?
Yes. It covers personal financial planning and saving, helping you assess your own spending and saving habits, evaluate the assets you already own, build a budget, and begin saving for the future to set and achieve your financial goals.
Do I need prior experience to take this course?
No. This is a beginners' course that provides an overview of the different investment options, their suitability, and their availability in current financial markets.
